


What's My Name?

by catnipArsen



Category: DRAMAtical Murder
Genre: Autoerotic Asphyxiation, Childhood Trauma, Confinement, Dehumanization, Drug Use, Emotional Manipulation, Gaslighting, Harm to Children, M/M, Mind Manipulation, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Past Violence, Repressed Memories, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Slavery, Solitary Confinement, The infamous Iron Box, slightly OOC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-15
Updated: 2014-12-05
Packaged: 2018-02-17 11:39:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 20
Words: 41,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2308331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catnipArsen/pseuds/catnipArsen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Virus and Trip feel Aoba has been well behaved enough to deserve a night out on the town.  Trip volunteers to take Aoba out but this new-found freedom results in rapid fire questions about his captivity and his captors.  "What's your real name?"  What was his name?  He can't seem to remember.  Virus can't remember either.  In fact, they hadn't really remembered too much of their past selves and perhaps, for the sake of their sanity, that was a good thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. C17H19NO3

**Author's Note:**

> Partially inspired by Tumblr user [confabulatorycrown](http://pterygoidwalk.tumblr.com/post/93981940148/heres-a-hot-new-headcanon-virus-and-trip)'s Virus and Trip headcanon. I wanted to do a story involving their background anyway but seeing that post inspired me to do this.

Current Date: 17 July, 2033  
Name: ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓  
Age: 15  
Birth Date: 23 February, 2018  
Blood Type: AB  
Height: 170.18 cm  
Weight: 67.72 kg  
Rhyme Name: Virus

Virus stared at the paper for quite some time. This was a medical page. This was also the last item he took from Toue's facilities before he and Trip ran off with their precious Aoba. This paper was also dated the day he and Trip had met. Whether or not that was the reason he chose to take it was unknown to him. It may have been the only medical page with his Rhyme name on it and perhaps he felt a connection with the distinct screen name. Perhaps he didn't have a reason other than just taking what belonged to him. It had his name on it, so it was his. 

His name.

His eyes scanned the top of the page where his name was, or rather where it should have been. On either side he had scribbled the name over in black ink. He had done that so long ago that he no longer could remember what his birth name was. He's sure that people stopped referring him to his real name and started calling him by his Rhyme name before he denounced it anyways. It was always “Hey Virus, good fight.” or. “Virus, it's time for your examinations.” The name Virus was more a part of him than what was given to him by his parents and so eventually he felt like he needed to remove any trace of that-name-in-which-he-could-not-remember. 

Trip had done the same thing to his paperwork and Virus scanned the page closely.

Current Date: 17 July, 2033  
Name: ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓  
Age: 9  
Birth Date: 3 May, 2024  
Blood Type: B  
Height: 134.62 cm  
Weight: 25.40 kg  
Rhyme Name: Trip

Trip took his as well, when they left for good. Virus knew Trip's name. What...what was it? He completely forgot Trip's real name too. Did Trip remember his name? Maybe. Maybe not. Perhaps it was better this way. It's not like they had the best childhood anyway. Virus was taken under Toue's supervision when he was five, and Trip was brought in seven years later. Virus and trip both were introduced to Rhyme when they were six. Trip had the unfortunate luck of facing Virus his first time around. Virus was never noteworthy of being gentle and as far as he could remember, Trip had to go to intensive therapy after facing Virus in his first ever Rhyme match. 

But that never stopped Trip. Most kids had been scared off from Rhyme after facing Virus except for Trip, who used that fear and turned it into motivation. And perhaps this motivation is what led to Trip's violent rage. Mysteriously enough, Virus, who had been the one to harm Trip, never harmed him. Maybe he had forgotten who Virus was in those couple years of violence. Perhaps he just...never cared. He knew damn good and well that Trip never looked up to Virus. He was just simply...there. That's where he wanted to be. And here he was twenty years later still by his side with intentions still unknown. Perhaps Trip was—

“Ahem.” Virus was ripped from his thoughts at the sound of a voice, Trip's voice. He stood in the doorway and no closer. “Did I disturb you?”

Virus glanced over at him and smiled. “Not at all.” He replied. “What's up?”

Trip's hands sunk into his pockets and leaned against the door frame. “I feel like rewarding Aoba a little. He's been so cooperative these few months that I think he should get some fresh air.” Virus raised an eyebrow.

“Fresh air.” He repeated. “Is our air not fresh enough?” From the look Trip gave him, Virus could tell he was completely serious about this. “Well. He's been in here for nearly a year and a half. Maybe we can give him a day out and about. I need to go shopping. I could take him wit—”

“I want to take him.” Trip interrupted. Virus, cut off mid sentence, stared long and hard at the younger man before continuing. “—with me. Because, I think that I place more fear into Aoba, and if he tries to run off he shou—”

“But I want to take him.”

“—should know that there will be severe, dehumanizing consequences. I've been able to cond—”

Trip furrowed his brow. “I want to take him.”

Virus, despite the constant interruptions continued like it was nothing. “—ition him in the house. I can do the same outside as well.” Trip's fists, hidden inside his pockets, were balled tightly. Virus could tell he was angry. He didn't care. It's not like he was trying to buddy up to Trip at all.

“I'm taking him.” Trip growled.

╬╬╬

One...two...three...four...five...

Aoba's face was stuck against the linoleum floor. Virus and Trip had been home for a few hours now but hadn't unchained him. They acknowledged him with a pet of his hair and a few rough, chase kisses, but otherwise left him alone. He was glad for that. There was a chance if they unchained him that they'd do things to him. Aoba wasn't afraid of doing things. Hell he was immune to it by now. He was afraid of the repercussions if he did something wrong. What would Trip do? Or worse...what would Virus do? His fingers felt along the chain links and he counted. How many times had he counted the links on these chains? So many. What number did he stop on? Seven? No...Oh well. Start again. One. Two. Three. Four...  
“Aaaaoba.” He stopped counting and tensed reflexively. Trip only used that calm soft voice when he was getting punished. What did he do? Dear God, what happened? What did he do? What could he have done? He was stuck here all day, he didn't do anything! Please, Trip, no! No! Please, no! No! No! N—!

A hand touched his hair, softly, and stroked it but the fear of being chastised made Aoba cry anyway despite how gentle the touch actually was. Blindfolded, Aoba could hear Trip exhale a chuckle through his nose. “Why are you crying, Aoba? Did I hurt you?” He didn't reply. He just curled into himself on the floor, naked and cold, as Trip played with his hair. “I have a present for you, Aoba. Do you want a present?” The chains that bound Aoba to the floor unhinged from his wrists and ankles and he found himself being hoisted up from the floor. He hadn't moved in close to twelve hours, he needed to lean on Trip for support. “Let's go to the tub, Aoba.”

The tub's water was warm. Much warmer than the floor that he was stuck to for hours on end. He'd urinated on himself while he was chained but that didn't bother anyone anymore. It was a reoccurring thing now and truth be told he hadn't noticed until Trip brought the sponge to his thighs and scrubbed at them. “So Aoba.” Trip spoke just as soft as before which still put Aoba on edge. “You've been so well behaved lately. I talked to Virus and we agree that you deserve some time outside.” Aoba's breath hitched and his heart pounded in his chest. It's been nearly two years since he went outside. “Do you miss sunshine. Aoba?”

“W-what's the catch?” Shit...should he have said that? 

“Hm? No catch. This is a reward. I'm going to take you to some nice places, Aoba.”

“Will Virus join us?”

“No. He told me to run an errand for him so we'll do that too. But mostly it'll be a day just for you.” His lips pressed against Aoba's hair and kissed it. Aoba felt this was more of a control thing than a tender action. 

Aoba tugged at the clothing that Trip had given him. It had been so long since he'd worn anything that he was aware of its existence. But this was the price he had to pay for a chance to be in contact with people, real people. Real, _kind_ people. “Hey, Aoba-san.” Virus approached him and shamelessly stole an invasive kiss from him. “Have a good time out there. Cherish this time. Savor it. Remember it.” Virus's expression was calm and casual but the words that were spoken...

“Ya-ho, Aoba. Let's go.” Trip smiled and took Aoba's hand in his.

His first steps outside in the four o'clock sunlight took him by surprise. In fact, it was overwhelming. But he needed this. He'd rather have his retinas burned and stay out here forever than go back with them. Aoba hadn't seen the outside of the house before. It was large. Very, very large. Nearly a mansion, Aoba thought. Former yakuza and former Ribsteez leaders, Virus and Trip must have been loaded, plus working on top of that. Geez. “You like the house?” Trip asked. The exterior was white, with some cream – maybe tan – borders around it. They had a small porch with a few steps but the backyard was enormous. Enough for several large dogs to run around if they wanted. The front was smaller but had a nice area for a garden if they...

Trip pulled Aoba from his thoughts as he guided him down the streets. “Mustn't waste time, Aaaoba.” The streets were busy. Men, women, and children ran all over the streets but they were still careful and happy. The streets buzzed loudly and Aoba took it all in. He wondered where on earth they were. The people appeared Japanese so maybe they were somewhere on the mainland away from Midorijima. 

“What do you want to do, Aoba?” The blonde man asked. “Shopping? Eating? Maybe you want to go swimming? There are no limits today, Aoba.” The first place that popped into Aoba's mind was 'police station' but Trip guaranteed would drag him right back home. He didn't know what to do. He hadn't had a will of his own in over a year.

He looked up at Trip. “I don't know.” He noticed he was still holding Trip's hand and immediately felt like a child being escorted places. 

“You don't know? Well let's run Virus's errand and you think about it, ok?”

The errand was short lived. New socks for Virus. Woohoo. But in that span Aoba had had a thought. “Maybe we can get coffee. And something to eat?” 

Trip smiled down at him. “Anything for you, Aoba.”

Down the street from where the errand took place was a four-star restaurant and Trip opted to take Aoba there. After all, who knew when Aoba was going to have a night on the town again. Aoba was silent for a majority of the visit, speaking only when the server needed a drink or food order. Trip, despite being a non-drinker, let Aoba pick one wine to share. “Oi, Aoba.” Trip spoke. “Why are you so quiet? Relax. This is supposed to be fun.”

Aoba was shaking and decided now was a good time as any to ask. “Why...why do you chain me up when you leave?” Trip jumped at the perfectly valid question. 

“What?”

“When you leave the house. You...you know damn well what I'm talking about. Why do you do it?”

Trip leaned back in his chair and pondered the question. “Drink some wine, Aoba.” Aoba did as he was told and drank some of the wine in his glass but persisted with the question. 

“Why? What do you gain?” Trip glared at Aoba sternly as the server placed their food in front of them but left quickly when they felt the tension between the two. Aoba hadn't had a lobster dinner since...well, since he could remember and the food was almost tantalizing enough to distract him from the thoughts in his head. But it wasn't enough to completely make him forget. But the subject was pushed back long enough for them to eat. “Please answer me, Trip.” Aoba said between some of the final bites of his lobster.

“Drink some wine, Aoba.” Was Trip's only response. Aoba did as he was told. 

Trip paid the bill and they left the restaurant around six, so they had about four hours on the town left; but due to all the wine Aoba drank he was slightly tipsy and needed to hold onto Trip for support. It was always that way. Trip making Aoba do something he didn't want and them having him cling to him as if he was the only one who could help him. This was sick. It was disgusting and he began to cry. “Aaaaoba. Are you ok?”  
But Aoba was not ok. He sobbed and sobbed and he couldn't control it. Perhaps it was the alcohol or perhaps he was feeling free for the first time in a year, but the tears wouldn't stop and he collapsed to the sidewalk and continued crying. “Do you still want coffee? There's a cafe over this way. Let's sober you up some, come on.” Trip hoisted the sobbing mess up and headed for the nearest coffee shop.

Three cups of coffee later and Aoba not in the slightest bit composed. “Aoba?”

“Why? Why do you tie me up? I...I can't stand to be tied up anymore. I won't run. I won't leave. I won't call anybody.” He wanted to cry out so the other customers could hear and could help. But if he did that he feared Trip would hurt him. So his cries were weak and shallow and silent and his face was buried in his arms. “I'll be good...please. Dont tie me up anymore...” Trip stared at the bubbling mess sprawled on the fairly small table in the cafe.

“Aaaaoba. Don't look away, now.” Aoba tensed. Those words...

He was back in Oval Tower, where those words were first spat his way. ' _Aaaaoba~ Don't look away, now._ ' before Trip's fist collided with his stomach. That was the beginning of the end for Aoba's freedom.

Aoba shot a glance at Trip but that was cut short by a soft yet assertive kiss. Aoba couldn't tell if it was genuine or if he was trying to shut him up but either way it worked. His body was conditioned and within seconds a flush spread to both his cheeks, and to his groin. “Let's go into the restroom.” The two made their way into the bathroom, lucking out with it being a single-person restroom, and locked the door behind them. “Remember you'll have to be quiet, Aoba.” Trip smirked and pinned him against the wall. His teeth clamped down softly on Aoba's neck eliciting a whimper from him. 

“What do you think, Aoba?” Trip groaned into his ear. Aoba cringed, he always cringed, at the feeling of their lips against his ears. “Isn't it exciting to be doing this in public, _Aaaaoooobaaa_? Heh. It adds a new thrill to it, doesn't it? It goes straight here,” his fingers snaked their way into Aoba's pants and gave his groin a small exciting squeeze, “doesn't it?” He pumped Aoba quickly hoping to get him excited to do this fast. They were in public after all. “Do you have ideas to make this experience even more exciting, Aoba?” 

No. No, he didn't want this. But...he had no choice. Maybe...? “Call me Sly Blue?” Aoba suggested. “I'll call you your Rhyme name. What is it?”

Trip pulled away and gave him a confused look. “Trip is my Rhyme name.”

Aoba returned the confused look. “Then what's your real name?”

Trip stared at Aoba. Trip stared through Aoba, as if he was searching through the past. He stared long enough that Aoba was even more uncomfortable than he was before. After a few moments Trip pulled completely away and headed out of the restroom. “Let's go home.”

“What's wrong?”

“I don't feel well.”


	2. C8H11NO3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning!  
> There are several triggers in this chapter that involve the warnings I posted, including rape, sexual slavery, and the Iron Box. If any of that disturbs you, I've put a brief synopsis of the chapter in the notes at the foot of the page. It'll contain plot details but it will lack the details of the triggers mentioned above.

“Did you have fun today, Aoba-san?” Virus asked as he scribbled on the paperwork sprawled across his small bedroom desk. It wasn't often he took work home with him but it seems as if the universe aligned itself to make this moment more awkward. The freedom of the outside world slipped through Aoba's fingers and he found himself sitting on the couch within Virus's bedroom as he continued his paperwork. He had been passed along to the older man once they returned home and he hadn't seen Trip since. He'd retired to his room and hadn't come out again in hours. 

“It was fine.” Aoba replied. “For a while anyway, until Trip...” He trailed off. Virus knew that Trip came home in a foul mood and was probably itching to punish him for something. He didn't know what. That scared him though, how calm Virus was being. While he feared how Trip would fornicate him, he feared how Virus would hurt him.

The clock ticked nine and Virus finally put away his paperwork so he could turn his attention to Aoba, walking over to him slowly. Aoba tensed.

“Aoba-san.” Virus spoke softly but with a tinge of aggressiveness. “What did you do?”

He figured he was talking about Trip, though it was hours ago. “I-I don't know...” The way Virus loomed over him terrified him. Those cold blue eyes seemed to penetrate his soul and he was scared. 

“Trip doesn't get upset easily. What did you do?” While Trip was horrifying in the bedroom, Virus's disciplinary style was worse than Trip could ever dish out. He felt his heart beat into his throat but he couldn't pinpoint what exactly he'd done wrong. His slender fingers tangled through Aoba's hair sending a shock through the poor boy's spine.

“I really don't know...” Aoba trembled under his touch. Virus let out a chuckle and gave Aoba the most terrifyingly normal smile he'd ever seen, and he knew what this meant. This specific smile happened once before and his blood ran cold in his veins. “V-Virus, please, no...” The hand that was gently playing with his hair now clamped down at the scalp and yanked him off the couch. 

Despite Aoba struggling against him, Virus pulled him along with ease and looked down at him with an almost gleeful expression. He truly enjoyed the terror he was striking in Aoba. “Now, Aoba-san. Please cooperate. The more you fuss, the longer your confinement will be.”

“Virus! No, please, no!” He was being led to the bathroom where the one thing he feared absolute most dwelt; the Iron Box. The last time he misbehaved, Virus stuck him in there for three days. Who knows how long he'd be in there now. He was afraid, terrified...he'd rather die than be stuck in the box again. Tears spilled from his eyes and he glued his hands to the bathroom's door frame, trying desperately to get away. “I swear I have no idea what I did wrong! Please! Virus! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!”

“Aoba-san, please don't start crying. I won't leave you in there long enough for you to die. You know I would never let you go.” Virus pulled on his hair harder but Aoba's hands held fast. “But I wonder...how long can a human go without water before their organs start failing? Do you wish to find out?”

“I don't know what happened, Virus!” He pleaded, but no matter what he said, Virus was able to get Aoba's hands to unclasp the door frame and he was forced inside, kicking and screaming, terrified and humiliated. 

Virus locked the box and tapped the top, though his taps weren't enough to overpower Aoba's banging on the lid. “Aoba-san. I might let you out early if you tell me what happened today.”

“I don't know what I did wrong! Ask Trip! I don't know!” At this point his words were coming out in sobs.

“Maybe a few days in here will give you time to think it over.”

“Please no!”

“Shh, Aoba-san.” Virus hummed, rubbing the top of the lid as he would with Aoba's hair. “It'll be over soon.”

Virus didn't bother making his way to Trip's room. In fact, he didn't even make it to his own room. He flopped on the couch and turned on the television and tried drowning out the pounding from their private Captive Princess. Not much was on TV except for the news but it was mind numbing, and he eventually started dozing off to the sound. His sleep wasn't long, only about ten or so minutes, before Trip shook him awake violently. Virus blinked and looked up at him. He could tell that Trip was distressed but his own sleepiness couldn't care less and all he wanted was for Trip to fuck off back to his bedroom. “Go away.”

“You awake?”

“Piss off.”

Trip shrugged and took a spot on the edge of the couch. He sat for a moment, staring at nothing in particular, before murmuring a few words, words that caused chills to run down even Virus's spine. “He asked my name.” 

Virus sat up and adjusted his glasses, all the while giving Trip a concerned look. “What did you say?”

“I didn't. I-I couldn't. I don't remember it.” Silence, aside from the TV and the bathroom, filled the space between the two for a long while. Trip folded his arms over his chest and leaned in instinctively. He nuzzled Virus's neck and Virus nuzzled his, though neither of them felt anything romantic or sexual in the act. This is what they did when they were children. They'd hold each other when no one else would.

“I don't remember mine either.” 

╫╫╫

Was it day? Night? Who knew...Virus locked Aoba away hours ago and Aoba lost track of how long. It couldn't have been longer than a day but it was at least...twenty, maybe, hours. He'd stopped crying but every once in a while he'd bang on the sides, hoping neither of them forgot about him. He still had his clothing on, and that didn't make the urine any pleasant to sit in for this long. Maybe he'll fall asleep again. Make the time go by faster? He was so hungry...Maybe if Virus had left him food he'd be better. Or maybe some water? Dear God...would they leave him in here until his organs failed like Virus said? He panicked again and let out the most bloodcurdling shriek he could because that's all he could do.

Then after several minutes of that, he heard a light tap on the lid. “Aoba.” He stopped screaming and listened. Trip? “Aoba. I'm not mad at you.” 

“T-Trip?” Aoba cried. “I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, I don't know what I did. Please...let me out.” A few moments passed where Trip didn't speak and Aoba was sure that he left him there alone to rot but the lock clicked and light and air rushed over him, and he was so happy and so relieved; but he was hungry and thirsty and weak, it was difficult to sit up on his own. But Trip was in close enough proximity that Aoba lunged and gripped to him and begged him to save him like every other fucking time he was in a horrifying situation. And it made him sick to his stomach. He could almost vomit, but that wwould require having something in his stomach.

Trip stroked his hair lightly, his fingers snaring a few tangles. “You don't know what you did, Aoba.” The younger boy trembled and held on to Trip for dear life. “It's ok now, Aoba. Aoba...Aaaooobaaa...” The blond enjoyed saying that name...Aoba. A real name. A real birth name that Trip hardly envied; but he was fascinated. Aoba...Aoba...Aoba... _Aoba_...

Aoba was not-so-gently tossed onto the bed and Trip was not-so-gently climbing on top of him. His clothes were still soaked in urine but Trip didn't seem to care. The way Trip did this was a bit...unconventional, even for him. Trip usually played with Aoba with Welter before he jumped rght into it but today his idea of foreplay was just ripping the soaking pants off Aoba and taking him dry and unprepared. It hurt. Holy Hell it hurt so bad, Aoba thought he would tear completely in half but as much as it felt that way Aoba stayed in one piece. Not to say that he'd rather have Welter play with him because he was grateful that it was this instead. But the lack of preparation was a cruelty only Trip would give. Virus, while cruel in mannerisms and punishment, was a lot kinder in the bedroom, despite allowing his Allmate to dominate him. He'd much rather have Hersha than Welter.

“F-Fuck, Aoba...We should do it like this all the time.” Trip noted, a sly grin creeping upon his face. “You're so...so tight. So good.”

Aoba needn't reply. In fact, he hardly did anything. He moaned and cried out, but he didn't move. He didn't talk. He didn't even grip the sheets. He was too weak to do that. But he did look straight into those electric blue eyes. They were cold, unwelcoming, and so incredibly, indescribably synthetic. Virus had these same unnatural synthetic eyes and between his breaths and Trip's thrusts he truly wondered what their natural colors were? Virus had told him a while ago that blond wasn't even Trip's natural color. He must have been very thorough with dying every coarse hair he had — head hair, eyebrows, pubic hair — because Aoba had no idea what his natural color was. There was so many things he knew about these two but all the information was just so vague.

He was pulled from that thought, though, when Trip rammed hard into Aoba's prostate, causing him to arch his back and moan out. “How does it feel, Aoba?” Trip chuckled. “You don't look like your close to coming...is something the matter?”

“N-no.”

“Hm. You don't have to come if you don't want to. But I want to so let me finish, ok?” He asked as if Aoba had even had a choice. A few more minutes of being taken by Trip, he let out a grunt and came inside, sending shivers through Aoba's spine. He could never get used to that feeling...

Trip huffed against Aoba's face and collapsed on top of him, completely spent. “Aaaaoba.” Trip's lips pressed gently against his cheek. “I love you, Aoba.” He pulled out, but stayed where he was, holding and draping over his little precious boy. “What a pretty name. Aoba. Aoba... _Aaaaooobaaa_...” A light sigh punctuated his name.

Trip seemed to be in a daze, stuck between half sleep and half awake. Aoba found himself in the same boat, half sleeping, and decided to vocalize the last thing on his mind, his voice resonating with a tinge of power he hadn't used in over a year. “What color were your eyes before?”

Trip murmured, answering as if he was already sleeping. “Amber.”

“Amber...” Aoba repeated, and chuckled softly, drifting off to sleep. A _normal_ color born to such a demented human being, huh? How _disgusting_...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> __**Trigger-free synopsis:**  
>  Aoba is confronted by Virus about what happened during his outing with Trip, since Trip was distraught when they got home. Aoba claims to not know, and is punished. Later on, Trip confronts Aoba, but reassures him that it's not his fault, seeing that he didn't know what he did was wrong (asking about his birth name). After a short rendezvous, Aoba finds himself thinking how fake Trip's appearance is, including his eyes, name, and hair. While Trip falls asleep, Aoba accidentally uses Scrap in a minor way to get Trip to reveal his eye color; Amber.


	3. C21H23NO5

Aoba was jerked awake violently by a tug on his hair, and only after he grunted in pain did he realize that it was Virus doing the pulling. “Aoba-san. Wake up.”

“Aaaoba.” Both of them were here. Aoba blinked until he could make out the figures over him. Wait a minute. He was tied up. When did they move him back to the kitchen? Why didn't he wake up when they moved him? He tried his hardest to sit up but due to the position he was in it was near impossible.

Virus assisted him and helped him to sit on his rear but the chains holding him still held fast. “Aoba-san hasn't eaten in over twenty four hours.”

“Yeah.”

“I bet he's hungry.”

“So hungry. You hungry?”

Aoba nodded weakly. “Thirsty too, huh, Aoba-san?” Aoba nodded again. Virus gave him a small chuckle. “Trip, would you mind getting me the water?” Trip obliged and handed Virus a class of ice water. “Is Aoba-san thirsty?” The poor man nodded frantically, tired of answering these obvious questions six times over. “Aoba-san, open up.” He obeyed. Virus smiled and plucked one of the ice cubes from the cup and placed it gently in Aoba's mouth. While Aoba was chewing the ice in hopes of getting hydrated—though his eyes still lingered on the actual liquid water in the cup—Virus lifted the lid to his own lips.

Aoba thought he could cry. Was this small ice cube all he would get for hydration? He watched helplessly as Virus consumed yet another thing he desired. But without hesitation, Virus tilted Aoba's head and pressed their lips together.

Aoba understood now.

Virus opened his own mouth and filled Aoba's with the water. Oh it was so delicious, refreshing. He didn't care that it had already been in Virus's mouth or that some of it dribbled out onto his bare legs. No, he was just so happy to have something. “How was that, Aoba-san? Do you want more?”

The process repeated for a few minutes until Trip got impatient and forced Virus aside, repeating what Virus had done with solid food.

Once his feeding session ended, Aoba sat for a while after being unchained to just rest up and get his energy back. Virus and Trip sat on either ends of the couch, one reading a book and the other flipped through the television stations respectively. The back of the couch faced the kitchen where Aoba sat. Man, with these two being distracted Aoba could slip right out the front door right now. Or...maybe not. The front door was adjacent to Trip and so sneaking out would end disastrously. He thought about maybe the bedroom windows...except the Allmates were in those rooms. Or. That's where they usually were.

“Aoba-san. Come here, would you?” Aoba crawled over to Virus, his strength not fully back to stand yet. From this angle, Virus had his head resting on the arm rest while his legs sprawled cross over Trip's lap, who didn't care in the slightest. The older blond reached out and took Aoba's hand, and held it. He simply held it. Why...why would he just hold it? Virus's eyes never peeled from the book, though every so often he'd let go of Aoba to turn the page but then he'd go right back to holding it.

“Virus.”

“Yes, Aoba-san?”

“Is...?” Aoba started, but then backed off, remembering what happened the other day when Aoba asked about names.

Virus glanced at him through the corners of his eyes. “Yes, Aoba-san?”

Aoba shook his head. “Nothing.”

“You wouldn't speak if it was just nothing, Aoba-san. Continue.”

“Is...is V-Virus your Rhyme name, too?” Aoba lowered his gaze but he could _feel_ Trip and Virus's glares drilling through him. No one moved for a very long time; or, at least that's what it felt to Aoba. He messed up. He fucked up and now he was scared. So scared, so scared, so scared, so scared, _so scared_.

The hand holding his let go. “It's rude to ask people about real names, Aoba-san. Some people don't like them.” Virus's fingers gripped his jaw and forced him to look into those cold synthetic eyes. “You're not a rude person, are you, Aoba-san?”

It was right here, right now, that Aoba had an epiphany. Virus and Trip were open, very open about most things and very truthful about most things. Trip and Virus opened up parts of their past to Aoba even when he didn't ask. But now, they were avoiding it. They were hiding it. Virus and Trip gave off the impression that they were invulnerable, impenetrable, and unbreakable. They swaggered and held their power and rank and social status above most people, and they were ruthless. They were formerly yakuza, and they were formerly the leaders of the most powerful Ribsteez gang in all of Midorijima. People were afraid of yakuza and people were afraid of Morphine.

But now, Aoba had found it. He'd found their vulnerability, their hinge. And Aoba's head, for the first time in nearly two years, pulsed with a familiar and relentless pain; and he knew he could escape. They were no longer yakuza and they were no longer Morphine. The fear tactics they'd played with Midorijima won't work here, unless they wanted to be caught by Toue.  _No one_ wanted that. So the vulnerability they had hidden deep away was exposed and Aoba knew that if he wanted to escape, if he wanted to see Tae and Ren and Koujaku and Noiz and Clear and Mink again, he'd have to snake his way into that fear. His head throbbed and he lowered his eyes in submission.

“I'm sorry, Virus.” Aoba replied. “I won't do it again. Never again.”

“Good boy, Aoba-san.” Virus planted a kiss to the top of his head and continued reading.

┼┼┼

Y _ou want to escape?_ Yes. _Why?_ Why wouldn't I? _Because this is all you know now._ But this isn't all I could be. _What else can you be?_ Myself. Free. That is what I want. _Yes?_ I need help. _Help?_ Help. Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me. _Aoba._ Help. _Aoba._ Me. _Aoba._ Help. _Aaaoba..._

“Aoba!” Aoba jumped at the sound of his name. So it was Trip saying his name the whole time? He could have sworn...Oh, he remembered now. He was being pressed against Virus's front, Aoba's front facing Trip and his innards feeling once again like they were about to tear apart. “Are you ok?”

“Y-yeah...”

Virus gripped Aoba's hair and pulled his head back—eliciting a pained gasp from the hair's owner—to plant a sloppy kiss on his lips. “Aoba-san's had a busy mind lately, huh? What is he thinking about so much, Aoba-san?”

"How much we love Aoba. That's it.”

"Must be. Does Aoba-san know how much we love him?”

“That should be the only thing going through Aoba's mind. How much we love him”

“Does Aoba-san think about our unconditional love for him, hm?”

Love this. Love that. Love, love, love. _Unconditional_ love. Aoba couldn't help but huff. Tae-san loved Aoba unconditionally. This was some sort of weird obsession gone horribly wrong. He didn't care that they were completely infatuated with him. He didn't care, hell, if they'd just asked back on Midorijima...who was he kidding. Them _asking_ for something. Ridiculous.

Virus's lips smiled against Aoba's cheek, his voice dipping into a ravine of lust from within him and pulling it out in long drawn out murmurs. “So much love for you, Aoba-san. So much love for Aoba-san. So much, Aoba-san...” With how often these two said his name, he was sure that he'd never forget what it was.

“Aaaoba. Come here.” Trip pulled Aoba's face to his and scraped his teeth gently across his neck. “I love you, Aoba.”

_No._

“I love you.”

_Stop..._

“ _I love you._ ”

_Help me..._

A shock of pain swept through Aoba's head and whispers flooded into Trip's ear loud enough for only him. His blood soon ran cold and he pulled away from Aoba. “What?”

“I said, I love your blue eyes.” Aoba murmured as a sly grin curled on his face.

No that wasn't...what he said, was it? He could have sworn that color was amber. Wasn't it? 'I love your  _amber_ eyes.' or... 'I love your  _blue_ eyes.' Which was it?

“ _When will I be able to see again?” The little boy asked. The bandages around his eyes had just been applied and the pain, though low, was enough to make him cringe in discomfort._

“ _It'll be a few weeks. Maybe a month. Not too long though!” The doctor replied, the fake-cheeriness dripping like poison from the words. “Your eyes will be a pretty blue color too. Neat, hm?”_

“ _Uh-huh. All set. I actually see you're being paired with your friend during the healing process. Won't that be exciting for you, ▓▓▓▓▓?”_

_He shrugged. A month without seeing, hm? It wasn't like anything in this God-forsaken place was worth looking at anyway, except for maybe ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ or Sei-san. But Sei-san never liked to play. He always played rough so Sei-san didn't like being around him. “Sure.”_

“ _He just had his eyes fixed as well so it should definitely be an experience for you.” He recognized the voice as Toue Tatsuo. “I look forward to the day you two fight each other once you're both healed up.”_

“ _Trip.” ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ murmured the moment the door opened to their dorm. He didn't need to ask who it was. He sat up from his bed and greeted the incomer._

“ _Virus.”_

Trip snapped out of his flashback. Why was he thinking of that now? He hadn't thought about the operation in years...? Perhaps Aoba really did say ' _blue_ ' and he was thinking too much about it. It's not like he had to worry. Aoba didn't know what colors his eyes used to be. Right?

He stared at the two men in front of him. Aoba was already close to his climax and Virus didn't seem to be paying attention to Trip, only Aoba, whose head was tilted back leaning against Virus's shoulder.

Trip huffed in light amusement. The blue haired man at this angle looked an awful lot like his twin. Ah, Sei. He was always so compliant and easy to manipulate. Aoba was so much different. Aoba put up a decent fight before submitting. This was a lot more fun. “Are you going to come, Aoba?”

“Ahh, Aoba-san. It's ok, you can come if you want to.” Virus's voice was ragged. His climax was approaching as well.

Aoba's face contorted into one filled with pleasure and humiliation. But his voice contained anything but. His lips graced over Virus's ear and the words so quiet Virus could hardly tell they were words. His gaze peered at Trip over his misted glasses and he leaned in. He leaned closer towards Trip, towards those hot lips of his; his tongue hanging out like a thirsty dog ready to capture them in a sloppy kiss but then he stopped. Virus didn't want to kiss Trip. Trip didn't want to be kissed by Virus. He was confused as to why he was  _going_ to.

It didn't matter for long though because Virus's orgasm began flowing through his body in electrical spurts nearly in time with Aoba, with Trip coming along a minute after. The three men's breaths echoed through Virus's room as they came down from their highs. “Were...were you about to kiss me?” Trip asked. Virus didn't reply. In fact, he pulled out of Aoba and just laid on his back and brought Aoba back with him. Aoba's eyes flicked between the two blonds as they shared a look of confusion and concern; however Aoba became aware quickly that the eyes he was peering through weren't exactly his own. They belonged to someone a little more mischievous than he could ever imagine being.

_Aoba. Aaaooobaaa..._

Trip left the room for the night and Virus and Aoba were left alone, though it appeared to Aoba that Virus wanted to sleep. Curled up to Virus, Aoba smirked to himself. The experimental Scrap worked so far. But how long would he be able to play with them before they figured him out? He had to break them before they broke him.

He slept beside Virus tonight. He was unbound and unchained but escape was futile; Hersha watched them both carefully throughout the night and wouldn't hesitate to attack should Aoba get brave. Instead he opted for a more cynical tactic. He whispered in that same commanding voice throughout the night, hoping that Virus would take them into his subconscious. He whispered things he already knew about Virus, purposely changing key details. Perhaps he'd begin to doubt himself. With his own mind confused, how could he possibly keep that close of an eye on Aoba?

 


	4. C10H12N2O

Virus stumbled into the kitchen tiredly and Aoba soon after. Trip was already seated at the table. He looked up from his coffee and newspaper at the older man. “Wow.” Trip spoke in his usual tone. “You look like shit.”

Virus sat in the opposite chair, Aoba taking his place on the floor beside Virus's feet, and held his head in his hands. “Thank you, Trip. You always know what to say.” Dark circles tinted underneath Virus's eyes. Aoba had bared witness, as the blond man didn't sleep soundly at all.

“Did you two have more love time after I left?” Trip's attention turned back to the paper.

“No. I had some messed up dreams.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. They weren't dreams though, they seemed more like memories.”

“Oh. Oh, Aoba. Look.” Trip passed the newspaper to Aoba. “You're famous.” Aoba gasped and stared at the periodicals in awe. It was his face on the page, it was him and Ren and Tae-san; it was his missing persons advertisement. “Looks like Tae-san didn't forget about you.”

Aoba growled. “Why _would_ she forget me?”

Virus piped up. “I guess we can't let him outside again for some time. If the rest of the neighborhood reads the paper as religiously as you, letting him out would ruin all our hard work.”

“Yeah.”

“Here, let's cut out this little article and let Aoba-san keep it.”

“You know, you think they'd give up on him.” Trip's voice seemed to drown out from Aoba's mind as he stared down at the picture of himself. “He's been MIA for nearly two years.”

Virus took the paper long enough to cut out Aoba's very own little article. “Well Aoba-san is a very special person to a lot of people. I'm sure they'd relish finding him again.”

Aoba clutched the snippet close to him. It was the first time he'd seen Tae and Ren in so long. They still looked exactly like he remembered. He thought about them every day. Twice a day, three times a day, countless times. But seeing an actual image of them brought him to the breaking point. “I...” His voice came out no louder than a squeak. Had they not had their attention on him already they'd not been able to hear him. “I want to talk to them.”

Virus smirked. Despite his exhausted outward demeanor he was still intimidating. “Oh?”

“M-may I?”

“Do you think we're stupid, Aoba-san?”

“N-no. I'm sorry.”

Virus pat the top of Aoba's head. “Don't be sad, Aoba-san. We can't _all_ get what we want.” Cynical poison dripped off those words and as opposed to making Aoba angry like it should have, it just made him feel hopeless. Of course...why would Virus and Trip give him this one thing after all the things he'd done for them? He didn't want the experience of going to get dinner with Trip if it meant never _ever_ hearing Tae yell at him about locking the door again.

“Seriously though,” Trip's voice interrupted Aoba's thoughts, “you look like shit. Are you going into work today?”

Virus sighed as if all the exhaustion rushed back to him. “You can't give that presentation to the board by yourself.”

“Ah. You don't believe in me?”

“It's not that. It's just that you're not all that...”

“Talkative?”

“Yeah. Try having the quietest of the duo give a three hour long presentation to the board. Heh. Hilarious.”

Aoba hoped, prayed, begged whatever god would listen that Virus would stay home. The work days were about ten hours, with an hour commute to and from. Twelve hours without food or water, bound to the tiles of the kitchen floor. He hadn't been bound to the floor for three days—aside from those few hours while he was asleep—and he sure as hell didn't want to go back. Though if they were gone he'd have more time to plot. More time to plan his escape. No...he could plot while trying to sleep. He was so sick and tired of being the floor's friend.

“...Furthermore,” Oh. They're conversation was still going on, “I believe that I can be a lot more convincing than you. I've been our voice for decades. Why stop now?”

“Ah whatever. You can do the presentation and make yourself more sick for all I care.” Trip grumbled and stood from the table.

“Oh, what? Are you mad at me now? Fine, walk away. Mature.” Aoba chuckled. If he hadn't known better its like these two were a married couple. Might as well be. They'd been side by side for what. Nineteen years? He was thoroughly surprised that Trip, being larger and stronger than Virus, hadn't knocked the glasses-donning asshole to the ground. “Aoba-san.” Virus cradled Aoba's face in his hands. “Be good while we're at work, ok?” Virus led him to the chains on the floor and latched the cuffs onto his wrists and ankles and punctuated this action by giving him a deep kiss. “I love you very much.”

Trip ruffled Aoba's hair. “Bye-bye, Aoba. We'll be back later.”

╠╬╣

Virus sat at his desk, finishing the final details of his and Trip's presentation. He was happy for the moments he had at work. While he didn't particularly care that Trip wasn't too far behind, it was always nice to be alone with his thoughts every once in a while; however, his thoughts today weren't particularly friendly. He wasn't sure why but it seemed like a lot of his memories had been unearthed overnight. It wasn't anything worth hiding but it wasn't exactly common knowledge among the general public. Knowing that this would mess with his mind, he needed some confirmation from Trip, whose office resided on the opposite side of the floor.

He opened an email and attached the project to it but wrote in the body things that had nothing to do with work at all.

Trip, I don't want to sound insane but I need to ask you a serious question. You are left handed, right?

Virus Anotobi

Marketing Director

xxx-xxx-xxxx

He sent the email and waited patiently for Trip to reply, if he decided to reply at all. Trip never replied to anything that wasn't work related that was sent to his work email. Psh, why was he even worried about whether or not Trip was left handed, right handed, or ambidextrous? It didn't affect him at all so...well. Perhaps it was the small things he liked about Trip. Like the way he slinks around the house; it'd get lonely if his footsteps weren't around. Or maybe when he forgets to dye his hair and the roots start poking through. Hell, Trip must have spent a lot on hair dye in their years of living together. It was rare that his roots ever showed.

The chime from the desktop alerted Virus that he had an email; From Trip.

I'm right handed. You knew this.

Trip Watanobe

Marketing Co-Director

xxx-xxx-xxxx

Virus nodded to himself. Yeah. Virus was left handed, why would he think Trip was left handed? Trip was opposite him.

I thought so but I wanted to be sure. And we met Aoba-san when he was sixteen still right?

Virus Anotobi

Marketing Director

xxx-xxx-xxxx

_Send._

_Chime._

Nineteen. I was twenty when we met Aoba.

Trip Watanobe

Marketing Co-Director

xxx-xxx-xxxx

He reclined in his chair.

Yes. Thank you.

Virus Anotobi

Marketing Director

xxx-xxx-xxxx

\--

Your memory is shit.

Trip Watanobe

Marketing Co-Director

xxx-xxx-xxxx

\--

I told you, sleep was terrible last night. I had very vivid dreams about these subjects and so I was just making sure that I got everything right in my head. I now know that I was wrong, and now we're all cleared up. Don't forget to print those numbers. We'll need them for the board meeting.

Virus Anotobi

Marketing Director

xxx-xxx-xxxx

\--

Idiot.

Trip Watanobe

Marketing Co-Director

xxx-xxx-xxxx

\--

You know. It's funny how we keep saying 'We're not twins.' and yet our aliases are similar sounding. Just an observation.

Virus Anotobi

Marketing Director

xxx-xxx-xxxx

\--

You're talking to me willingly. Through electronic mail. About non-work and non-home related things. You must be ill. Go home and I'll finish this project myself.

Trip Watanobe

Marketing Co-Director

xxx-xxx-xxxx

\--

You don't have to respond to me.

Virus Anotobi

Marketing Director

xxx-xxx-xxxx

And he didn't. This little banter was probably all Trip had in him. He was probably tuckered out and taking a catnap at his desk. Virus still, however, kept his email open just in case Trip wanted to talk. While he couldn't say that he and Trip were friends, lovers, siblings...they were always there for each other in a supportive sense. Their ideals and intentions were very similar, so why not strive to protect that? It wasn't bad to have someone split the rent and utilities with too. Meh. He shook the thoughts from his mind as he headed over to the board room.

Virus powered through the first hour-fifteen of the meeting with flying colors, even keeping the presentation slightly ahead of schedule. “Also, if you take a look at these recent studies from last year given to us graciously by Accounting, you can see that the profits increase when...” Virus stopped abruptly. His head spun. It spun so quickly he had no choice but to support himself on the table. He'd endured this feeling before. But for the life of him he could not remember what it was.

“Virus.” He hears Trip's voice, though it seemed more like an echo. “Virus, what's wrong?”

“E-excuse me. Trip. Finish this up.” Virus managed to get those words out before slinking off to the restroom.

Dear lord, his head pounded and spun and he felt like vomiting. What was this feeling, he couldn't remember. Oh, but it was important. It was a life changing event, wherever this feeling was from. Virus was ashamed as he sat in his small, green-walled restroom cubicle. With his glasses to the floor and his hands glued to the edge of the toilet bowl he beat himself up mentally. How embarrassing. How fucking embarrassing. This, this here...getting inexplicably ill in front of his superiors...what a fucking joke. He was angry. He was angry at the situation and he was angry at himself. He was angry as he emptied his stomach into the toilet and he was angry at this God-forsaken headache.

His Coil rang but the sound of the ringtone reverberating off of the stall walls caused Virus another dizzy spell and he vomited again before silencing the Coil. Oh, the missed call was Trip. Woohoo. Though he wasn't ignored for long. “Ya-ho, Virus. Are you here?”

“Piss off.”

“When I said you were ill I was joking."  Virus glared at him.  "The board is taking their thirty. Will you be well enough to continue or should I take over?”

Virus flushed and stood on wobbly legs. “Yeah, yeah, one second.” Though if this embarrassing spell wasn't enough, as he stepped he heard an unfortunate crunch beneath his shoe. “God fucking damnit.”

Trip tilted his head, though seemed thoroughly unimpressed. “Ah. Too bad.” Virus rubbed between his eyes. Trip would have to continue the presentation since Virus now had impaired vision. And Trip would have to drive him home like some cheap escort with on-the-side homoerotic services.

╠╬╣

 _Freedom. Can't you taste it?_ Yes. _Does it taste good?_ Yes. _You want this freedom, don't you?_ Yes. _Do you want to do this?_  Yes.   _Then do it._  Yes.   _Do they let you do this to yourself?_ No. _Do you like to do this to yourself?_ Yes. _Come on, for me._ _Do this for me._ I will. _More. Yes please, more!_ I will. _Does it feel good?_ Yes. _Do you want to keep doing it?_ Yes. _Do you want me to help you?_ No. _Come on, let me help you._ No. _Just a little more. Yes. Faster. Yes. Faster. Yes. More. More. So close. So close. So close. So close. So close. So close._ Ah...ahh...   _Did it feel good?_ Yes. _Do you like it?_ Yes. _Should we do it again?_ Yes...

 


	5. C8H11NO2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is fairly shorter than the previous simply because I've been on vacation and havent been able to focus as much on this chapter. I do apologize.

Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven.

Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. One.

Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Nine. Ten. Ele—wait.

One. Two. Three...

“Aaaoba.” After hours of being home alone in the silence Trip's voice boomed in from the front door. “We're home.”

Virus made his way to his room While Trip greeted their little pet. “Ah. Aoba made a mess over here.”

“A mess?” Virus called from his room.

“Yeah. It looked like Aoba had some fun time while we were gone.” Trip replied, poking Aoba with his foot. “What should we do with him?”

Virus came up and stood at Trip's side, a new set of glasses placed on his face. “Hm. It's all dried up like he did it this morning. So it'll be a little harder to clean.” He knelt down and undid the locks that bound him to the floor. “Aoba-san.”

“Yes?” Aoba replied, his voice hoarse and scratchy from lack of water. Virus stared him straight in the eye.

“Lick it up.” Aoba must have stared at Virus in confusion for too long because Virus gripped his hair and shoved his face into the tiles. No. He didn't want to. The grip, though, on his hair was relentless and so to spare himself any more physical pain Aoba complied. He hated every moment of it though.

“Does it taste good, Aoba?”

“Was your solo fun time worth it, Aoba-san?”

Aoba's eyes teared up. How humiliating. How fucking...his head pounded. Why now? Why...?

“Every moment away from you is worth it.” He growled, voice muffled by the tiles. Aoba's eyes locked with Virus's, and Virus's head spun again, much like it did this morning during the meeting. He relinquished his grip on Aoba's hair and ran straight for the restroom.

Trip shrugged. “Must have the flu. Say, Aoba, are you hungry?”

╒╤╕

_“Hold onto me like this...yeah, there you go.” ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ murmured. “Yeah. You ok?”_

_“Mhm.” ▓▓▓▓▓▓ replied._

_“Put your knee here.” He complied. “Now just move your hips.” The younger boy looked up at ▓▓▓▓▓▓ as he rocked his hips. Rouge rushed to both their faces. ▓▓▓▓▓▓'s little breaths soon turned into pants and moans as he rode ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓'s thigh. ▓▓▓▓▓▓ had just turned sixteen, leaving his older companion at twenty two. However, this is how the two always took care of their...dilemmas while in Platinum Jail._

_▓▓▓▓▓▓ nuzzled ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓'s neck as he ground his hips down into his thighs, knee rubbing gently on the older boy's crotch. “Yeah...there you go...”_

_“Y-yours is hard too.” ▓▓▓▓▓▓ noted. “Can I see it?”_

_“No. I'm too old.”_

_“Please?”_

_“No.”_

_“You can look at mine.”_

_“No.”_

_“▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓. I want to show you something I learned. Let me see it please?”_

_▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ thought about it. No one was monitoring them in their dorm. And he didn't find this act to be romantic at all so what was the harm? ▓▓▓▓▓▓ looked in awe. He'd never seen another man's privates before. It was similar to his own but slightly different._

_“Please let's hurry.” ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ panted. ▓▓▓▓▓▓ nodded._

_“Close your eyes.” ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ complied and leaned his head back in the chair he was sitting in. Without warning, a warm roughness slid across the organ and a shock ran through his spine. Soon he was moaning and his breaths became ragged. No, it wasn't exactly the best head he'd ever gotten but it was different than what these two normally did and that was exciting._

_His fingers ran through ▓▓▓▓▓▓'s red silky hair. ▓▓▓▓▓▓ talked about how he was going to bleach it so it'd be lighter like his own. He wouldn't lie, he was going to miss the red color of his companion's hair but he wasn't necessarily heartbroken about it. He wondered how far he'd take it. Just his hair? His eyebrows too? Maybe even the coarse hair between his legs. Hm._

_“Ah...God...” Before he could even catch up, the heat in his core rose and his gentle grip on the younger's hair tightened. The orgasm took longer than usual to come to him but ▓▓▓▓▓▓ never took his lips from his groin as the elder came on his face. In fact, he lapped it up happily, excited for this new experience._

_“Trip...”_

_“Virus.”_

╒╤╕

Goodness, he was so sick. He can't understand why. Had he eaten something bad? A bug, maybe? Perhaps it was just exhaustion that caught up to him. Any way, Virus's new friend was the toilet bowl and he was pissed off about it. But this dizzying feeling felt so familiar, it couldn't be anything like a bug or food poisoning. It reminded him of his younger days when he went by a name he no longer used. Oh, who cared about remembering when they kept dry heaving into the toilet. This was hell, he'd not been this sick in probably two years or so. Three maybe.

A knock came from the opened door. “Ya-ho. Are you hungry, Virus?”

“Does it look like I want to eat?”

“Maybe eating will help. Maybe you're hunger-sick.”

“Why do you care?” The amount of venom that poured from that statement was enough to take even Trip aback.

“I want to help. That's all. But you can sit here miserably if you want.”

“Wait, Trip.” His hand flew out to reach for the man. “Help me up.”

The meal wasn't anything fancy but it was really good. Trip's specialty was baking but he could prepare some pretty delicious meals too. Today must have been a special day too because lo and behold, Aoba was allowed to sit at the table like a human and use a plate and fork like a human and drink water from a glass like a human. Welter and Hersha prowled around the table, putting Aoba on edge and this was apparent to the two older men around him. “Ah, Trip.” Virus spoke up, ignoring Aoba's fright. “You were right about me just needing to eat. Thanks.” Trip shrugged in reply and shooed his Allmate away. “You know what? I'm feeling generous tonight, Aoba-san. Would you like some wine?”

“N-no. Thank you.”

“Nonsense. I'll pour you both a glass.” He rose from the table and headed toward his small wine shelf.  
Trip and Aoba both eyes him carefully. While Virus was keen on wine, he'd never forced a glass on someone who didn't want it. What was the occasion? “White or red? Let's go white today.”

“Virus. _No one wants your shitty wine_.” The voice had definitely came from Aoba, but it was not Aoba. Virus clutched his head again at the sound of Scrap being used on him, and Trip flew from the table faster than anyone thought he could move and kneed Aoba's stomach hard enough to shut him up.

Too soon. Too soon. Too soon. Should have waited. Should have waited. Should have waited.

“I'm sorry!” Aoba shouted through ragged breaths. It was as if Scrap had just flown right out of his mouth without his will. “I'm s-sorry!”

“Lock him to the floor, Trip.” Virus commanded, still shaken up. “And bring your shitty Allmate over to play with him.”

Aoba's frightened cries reverberated through the kitchen and through the halls of their home. Welter was instructed to 'break him but not harm him', whatever that meant. To Aoba it was all the same.

Current Date: 17 July, 2033  
Name: ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓  
Age: 15  
Birth Date: 23 February, 2018  
Blood Type: AB  
Height: 170.18 cm  
Weight: 67.72 kg  
Rhyme Name: Virus

Virus, about three glasses of white wine in, stared at this document. Usually he'd read only that part, depressed in a sense that he couldn't read underneath the black markings. Though, three glasses in the whole page seemed like it blurred He poured his fourth glass and poured it down his throat like it was simply water. He was lonely. He was sad. He felt...betrayed? Empty? Helpless? Who knew, and who cared. He wasn't sure how, but he'd somehow made it to Trip's door, opening it and walking in without permission. Trip sat at the foot of his bed, reading the final pages of a book. “Hey, Virus. What...whoa, what the hell are you...?”

Virus's face nuzzled into Trip's neck and began licking and nipping the skin there. “I want to do this, Trip. Like when we were younger.”

“You're drunk. You don't know what you want.”

“Do this for me, Trip.” Virus wouldn't admit it, but he was scared, lonely...he sought after some comfort that he felt, his whole life, only Trip could give him and it felt like nuzzling solely wasn't enough.

Trip didn't put up much of a fight. Instead he let Virus grind on him like Virus had allowed him to do when they were test subjects of Toue. Virus groaned against Trip's skin, occasionally licking at it with his tongue and then biting down. Trip had always bitten on his skin when they rendezvoused so now this was, what, payback? It had been literal years since they'd done this, Virus putting the kibosh on these little incidents, and so Trip, whose face was usually stern, formed an expression filled with concern. He'd hoped, though neither of them were really that open about their problems, that Virus would eventually fess up to what had been troubling him these past couple days; because his actions were off, even for Virus.

Welter had long since stopped playing with Aoba but he sat right next to him, warming him with his fur. Aoba could hear a lot of what was going on in Trip's room from here. _Man, are these people fucked up or what?_

The next morning was the dictionary definition of awkward; but Aoba sat in the kitchen cheering to himself. While he may have blown his chances of ever speaking again, Scrap accidentally ruining his life so far, he had prodded at the hinges of Virus's sanity and he'd hoped it'd all go down from there. Virus had opted to stay home this morning from work as his head—be it from illness or hangover—was still spinning. A warm cup of tea served as his breakfast, made special by Trip. Once Trip left for work it was only Aoba and Virus.


	6. C11H15NO2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter contains the tags drug use, non consensual drug use, childhood trauma, harm to children, and mind manipulation. So. Be warned.

Aoba remained chained to the floor and Virus was shoved off in his room trying to battle this whatever he had. Hersha and Welter paced around Aoba every so often, out of curiosity or just to keep Aoba intimidated, but the closer Aoba looked at them the more he chuckled to himself. It was very clear which Allmate belonged to which person. Trip was larger and a lot more powerful and could physically intimidate anyone. Of course he'd be paired with an animal Allmate with similar qualities; Welter. Virus was smaller, not quite as muscular but very cunning. His violent measures weren't taken by sheer brawn alone. His methods were to frighten you to the core—like a poison, in a sense. So he needed an Allmate with those qualities; Hersha. He wondered if these Allmates were the ones they'd used in Toue's labs while being tested for their aptitude in Rhyme. His lips parted as he wiggled to face the serpent.

“Hersha...” It stopped moving around him and looked at Aoba. It's vocal setting was on 'Animalistic', so of course it wouldn't respond with words, but he'd hoped that he'd be able to understand. “How long have you been with Virus?

Hersha slithered its way closer to Aoba, a sign Aoba took that t understood what he was saying; but it was an Allmate. They were programmed to understand human language. Unfortunately, Hersha had no way of communicating the answer to Aoba—not that it was any of Aoba's business in the first place. It coiled around Aoba's frame, squeezed slightly, and then slunk off to Virus's room, possibly to check up on its master. “What about you, Welter?”

Welter wasn't much more of a help. Once again, language proving to be difficult to get across, Welter just flopped down beside Aoba, licking him on various places. It was like sandpaper but he wasn't climbing on top of him and prodding him with his claws like he would under Trip's instruction so Aoba was relieved for that. “Welter. How long will they keep me here?” Welter stopped licking at him and stared into his eyes. There wasn't much Aoba could read. Welter's eyes seemed too animalistic to be interpreted into human emotion. “If you had the choice, would you leave?” The lion gave him a small mewl, though Aoba couldn't understand what it meant. For a human it seemed apologetic or unsure. But animals gave their emotions differently than humans so Aoba couldn't be for sure what it meant but for some reason it was—comforting.

“Do you worry about Trip?” For Welter, he'd had enough of the interrogation and turned his head away from the man. He laid his head on his paws and entered Sleep Mode. “Do you think Ren worries about me?”

Sometime after Welter fell asleep, Aoba too fell asleep and was woken with a jolt. Welter was nowhere near him. Instead, it was a human. Virus loomed over him, an exhausted expression on his face. Wait...this wasn't exhaustion. This was something else, something a little more _empty_. “Aoba-san.” Virus's voice was hoarse and dry, nothing like it usually was, and that put Aoba on edge. “I want to do something a little different today.” The cuffs fell to the floor and Virus took Aoba into his room.

Aoba's hands were fastened immediately by Hersha to the headboard but Virus was across the room fiddling in a small table drawer. “Aoba-san. I'm very disappointed in you. Yesterday, when you tried using Scrap on me...tsk.” He glanced at Aoba over his shoulder. “For shame, Aoba-san.”

“I just wanted my freedom.” Aoba whined, though he wasn't sure what it'd accomplish. If Virus and Trip were concerned about his freedom they'd let him go.

Virus eventually turned back towards him, a small vial in one hand. “Do you know what this is, Aoba-san?” He shook his head. “I snatched this from Toue before we left, more symbolic reasons than anything else. It's morphine. Do you want to try it? It could make you feel good.”

“N-no.” Though he should have known his opinion didn't matter. Virus already had a syringe sticking into it. He didn't extract a lot, as he didn't know how Aoba would take it, but he extracted enough.

_No._ “I don't want to.”

“Relax.”

_It doesn't feel safe._

“We can't always have what we want, Aoba-san.”

_But I never get anything I want._

“Hold Still.”

_I don't want this._

The needle penetrated his skin, and the medication filled the vein in his arm.

_I—_

“Give it a moment, Aoba-san.” Virus murmured, repeating the action with his own arm.

_I hate you._

After a few minutes Aoba could tell the drugs were taking effect and opted to shut down, to autopilot. Virus worked on his length as he laid there helpless. It was almost like Aoba was numb, he couldn't feel Virus's ministrations, really. But he heard them. He heard everything, the moans coming from the man below him and the sloppy wet sounds he was making.

_I hate you._

_I hate you._

They shifted a few times. Aoba could taste blood and flesh between hiss teeth, and at the same time he felt teeth biting into his own flesh. Was he biting into his own? Who knew, it's not like it really hurt that much anyways.

_I hate you._

_I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you._

He couldn't tell until it was too late, Virus had penetrated him. It didn't seem like he stretched him out at all. Virus was probably as out of it as Aoba was. He very well could have not and it didn't make a difference to Aoba. Hell, he'd hoped this was all a terrible dream. “Aoba-san.” Virus murmured. “I love you.”

_IhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyou_

Aoba's mind sobered up after a while, though he found himself covered in sweat and semen and blood and...wait. Blood? Oh, right. Both he and Virus were coated with bite marks. Virus was standing in front of his mirror, naked and covered in just as much sweat and semen and blood as Aoba. He was examining the bites on his neck and arms and chest. Some ended up on his shoulder blades. How'd that happen? He could see Virus's reflection in the mirror. Dear lord, his face looked so horrible. It was like he'd not recovered from his illness at all. He overworked himself and he himself knew it.

Hersha slithered away from Aoba and climbed to Virus's shoulders. His hand rubbed the side of the snake's head and he gave it a small peck. This was surreal. Aoba had never once saw Virus give anyone or anything a tender touch like this. He could tell that Hersha was just as precious to Virus as Ren was to Aoba. “Virus.”

The older man spun around. “Aoba-san. You're awake. You definitely drew my blood.” He gestured to the bite marks over his body. “I don't know how I'll explain this to my colleagues.”

_What. You never had to explain you were keeping someone as a sex slave before?_

“Virus. I need water. Please.”

“Did it feel good, Aoba-san? You came a lot.” Virus smiled at him. He knelt down beside the bed and stroked Aoba's hair gently.

“I'm thirsty, Virus. Please.”

Virus nuzzled his cheeks. “Mmm, Aoba-san.”

Aoba nuzzled back in hopes that would persuade Virus. “Please, Virus.”

“You're beautiful.” The younger male let out a pained whine. “I don't need the morphine to feel light around you.”

“Virus...”

“You're covered in blood, that just won't do now, will it, Aoba-san?” The blond held out his hand to help the thirsty and slightly groggy Aoba to his feet. Virus sought fit to draw a bath and he guided Aoba into it. He punctuated the filling of the tub with a glass of red wine, one of his favorite brands from the top shelf. “You're thirsty, Aoba-san? Drink this.” Aoba hated wine but this was the best he was going to get unless he wanted to drink the nasty water-soap-semen-blood mixture swirling around him. “Aoba-san. Have I ever told you that until Trip came along, I was undefeated at Rhyme?”

“You didn't say that.”

“Ah, well it's true.” Virus murmured as he joined Aoba in the tub, adjusting the both of them so Aoba's back was against Virus's chest. His glasses ended up who knows where. He leaned back against the back of the tub. “For six solid years I was undefeated. Of course it meant nothing on the streets as these were all beta tests anyway. The settings were constantly adjusted and battles would end randomly at times so I suppose the statistics are too obscure to consider.”

Aoba sipped the wine. “I see.”

“Yes.” Virus mumbled, his head tossed back over the edge of the tub. His eyes closed. “I remember our first encounter fondly. I destroyed him.” This sentence ended with light breathing. Was he...had he fallen asleep? Aoba was afraid to look. Though after several minutes of Virus not moving or speaking, Aoba assumed he had fallen asleep. After their rendezvous Aoba could tell that Virus was beat. His head still hurt and he was nauseous but he toughed it out so he could dominate Aoba. Heh. Of course, only _he_ would do that.

He could drown him. He could drown him and run right now. He could kill this fucker and run home to Tae and Ren and Koujaku, Clear and Noiz and Mink and Haga and Yoshie; but after turning and taking a look at Virus as he slept...he was completely vulnerable. He seemed almost innocent right now. He couldn't bring it upon himself to shove his head beneath water.

_Do it._ No. _Do it now._ No. _While you have the chance._ No. _Destroy. Destroy everything. Destroy him._

“Virus.” He nudged the man awake, but only barely. “Ahh.” A low murmur filled the silence that wafted over them. “Is Virus all tuckered out?”

“Mmm, shh, Aoba-san.”

He laughed. “Aoba- _san_? Heheh. Drop the formalities. We all know in this situation, I'm not your equal, but your subservient.”

Virus gave him a tired yet still menacing smile as his fingers coiled around Aoba's throat. “I'll give you ten seconds to slink back into that demented hellhole you call a subconscious before I squeeze the life right out of you, Aoba- _saaaan_.”

Aoba laughed again. “So assertive. And yet so composed. I'd fuck you wholeheartedly if I wasn't completely disgusted by your presence.” He uttered a chuckle through Virus's ever tightening fingers.

“Aoba-san, I can assure you that I'm not lying. I can kill you now if I wanted to.”

“But you won't. You're too infatuated with me to do that. You said so yourse—” Aoba's words were cut short by Virus's fingers pressing down on his throat. His breaths came out on wheezes and he felt his face getting warm and red.

Virus hummed as his grip kept tightening and Aoba started to panic. After a few moments, without air seeming like hours, Virus let Aoba breathe. He spluttered and coughed and wheezed and gagged but he was relatively unharmed. “I-Im sorry.” Aoba cried.

“I forgive you, Aoba-san.”

“No I mean I'm sorry. I'm sorry, but _I'm going inside your mind_.”

For the brief couple seconds before Scrap took effect, Virus's eyes widened in panic and anger, reaching out for Aoba before everything turned white.

╔╩╗

The area was white. It was so white, almost like lights surrounded him. Or. Yes. It was lights. This was a Rhyme field. Who were these characters in front of him? There was a blond boy with oval glasses, a plain white sweater and shorts. Virus. Across the way, there was a younger boy, dressed the same, with red hair. Unknown.

Unknown was on the ground just starting to get up while Young Virus stood there, watching him with a blank expression. Unknown looked like he was beat pretty good but he was able to recover quickly. Rhyme was virtual, of course. With a balled up fist he charged Virus. Virus's counter measure was to grab the boy's wrist with the right hand and aligning his elbow with the boy's elbow, and bring it down on his knee and splitting the entire bone in half. Aoba's stomach churned. Unknown's screams echoed throughout the room. This poor boy couldn't have been over six or seven facing Virus, who was probably...twelve?

Though Virus's torture was plenty, he ended the battle abruptly with not only repeating the move on the boy's leg, but his spine too. Oh the child's face...Aoba had no words to describe the amount of agony that it held. The screams were bloodcurdling and the amount of tears... Was this little red-head Trip? He couldn't think of much else after that, all he wanted was to coddle the boy. He rushed over to the field, hoping to protect him. Virus's head turned to face Aoba at an almost painful speed.

“Don't you touch him. You'll ruin everything.”

The electronic roster dropped down above Virus's head.

**_[WINNER]_ **

**_Sa▓▓▓▓u▓▓▓▓o M▓▓▓r▓_ **

**_VIRUS_ **

Wait a minute! That's—that's...

 


	7. C17H25N

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags: Iron box, repressed memories, etcetcetc  
> I won't be putting tag warnings anymore simply out of laziness but if you've made it this far without being triggered then you're a trooper and shouldn't be surprised at any themes I may input so. This whole story is a shitstorm. Thanks for bearing with me on this! c:
> 
> ALSO This chapter is shorter than some others because I wasn't sure how to continue it without making seem forced.

Aoba emerged from the water, spluttering and gasping for air. He must have slipped under while he was Scrapping Virus and it had cut their session short. It didn't seem like he was under for very long but that didn't stop him from coughing up a lung. Aoba hadn't affected Virus's consciousness at all but he had definitely angered him, but that clicked in Aoba's mind too late, he hadn't been able to brace himself for the tight grip on his hair. “Look, Aoba-san.” His head was jerked to the side and his eyes immediately locked with the box. He panicked but that didn't even seem to phase Virus as he hoisted him out of the water. “You made me do this. If you had just been good...”

_ Try again? _

_ Yes or No _

No.

_Bide your time, Aoba. He won't let you die._ But I'm afraid. _It's alright to be afraid._ I'm so scared. _It's ok to be scared._ I'm scared. I'm scared.

The iron box slammed shut and he was alone. 

“I'm scared.” _It's alright._ “I'm scared.” _It'll be alright._ “I'm scared.” _Aoba._ “I'm scared. I'm scared.”

“I'm scared.”

“I'm scared. I'm scared. I'm scared. I'm scared. I'm scared. I'm scared. I'm scared. I'm scared. I'm scared.” I'mscaredI'mscared _I'mscaredI'mscared_.

_I'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscaredI'mscared_.

I just want to die.

║║║

Virus's face was planted flat on the kitchen table. He'd drifted to sleep sometime between Aoba's confinement and Trip's return. Trip had come in through the door a short while later to see the ridiculous sight. “Virus?” His eyes flew open and he peeled himself from the table.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” Trip flung his vest onto the arm of the couch and took a seat opposite Virus. “Feel better?”

“Eh.”

“Where's Aoba?”

Virus adjusted his glasses. “We're not engaging him today.” Trip hummed in reply. “He thought he'd use Scrap on me again.”

Trip sighed and leaned back in the chair. “He's gotten rebellious.”

“This all started when you gave him an inch. He took the whole rope and thinks he can get away with it.”

“Yeah.” They sat in silence for a long while. The man in the box had grown silent these past two hours and it was as if he wasn't there at all. Welter had crawled out from Trip's room and nuzzled the man's arm. Trip stroked his fur. “My bad.” Virus glanced down at the beast beside Trip. Geez, how long had he known that Allmate? A while. If he could remember correctly, they'd acquired both at the same time but how many years had it been? Virus ran his fingers through the fur also. Had they used real lion fur for it or was it synthetic? Virus didn't know, he'd never pet a real lion before. “Oi, you still look like shit.”

Virus rolled his eyes. “Is there a reason you keep pointing it out or do you just enjoy saying those words?” Trip shrugged. “Do you know something I don't? Am I dying?”

“I won't let you die.”

“Aw, you do care.”

“Nah. I just can't pay two rents.” They shared a few feeble chuckles, though the joke wasn't nearly as funny as they made it out to be. “Wanna go out? Take your mind off things?” Virus shrugged but he didn't object to the idea.

Virus was less than impressed, however, when he found Trip's idea of 'out' was 'down the road in a small tea shop because he happened to have a coupon for this particular establishment'. This place didn't even look good, more like a run down dingy shack that just so happened to have a tea kettle. Psh, whatever, at least he wasn't the one paying. He was, however, very thankful for the cup of tea and held it close to himself for its warmth.

Trip sat at a small window table near the exit and Virus followed. “The board approved our offer from the other day.”

Virus nodded though his expression was pretty deadpan. “Great. I knew they'd be for it.”

“We also got a raise. Not only are we salary but we're now plus commission.”

“Neat.”

Trip scoffed. “ _Neat_? It was a pretty significant boost and all you say is 'neat.'” Virus shrugged in response and sipped at the tea he still held close. “Alright. What's wrong?”

“Nothing. I just feel unwell.”

“Unwell.” Trip echoed. “And what's causing the unwellness?”

Virus snipped back almost ferociously. “Why do you care?”

Trip scowled at the older man and leaned back into the chair. The remainder of the tea shop visit was quiet and tense between the two men. Virus stared out the window away from Trip, and Trip stared at the menu above the register while not particularly taking the time to read its contents. The two hadn't shared a word since Virus's snip and about a half hour passed since. It was now, though, in the reflection of the window that Virus had seen his face. It seemed to have gotten worse since his and Aoba's rendezvous. The dark circles were obvious now, if not before, and his hair was disheveled and unkempt. In fact, he was so caught up in how beat up he looked he had almost not noticed that Trip headed towards the door to leave. He didn't chase after him. He sat there for a while longer with his acquaintance's empty cup until he was ready to slink back to their home.

║║║

“You're garbage.” Virus growled, his fists and teeth clenched. “You're literal trash. No one wants you. No one needs you. Your own parents abandoned you. They never looked for you. They never loved you, did they?” He stared into the fakey blue eyes staring back at him. He didn't get a reply. Hersha slithered up its master's body as if to check up on him.

The silence was overwhelming between the two men, and Virus got angry. He got livid. “Did they?!” Before he could stop himself, he'd swung his fist straight through the mirror he was looking into. Hersha fled quickly. Virus's breathing was heavy and he was shaking, picking the glass from his knuckles.

“Oi.” Virus was startled at the voice that sounded behind him. “What happened?”

“Nothing.” Was all Virus muttered.

Trip wasn't satisfied with that answer at all, though the damage was obvious. “Why are you so upset?”

“Get out.”

“Not until you tell me.”

“I said leave.”

Trip crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame. “Tell me.” Virus groaned and tried his hardest to push Trip out but the larger man held fast, the blood from his knuckles stained his shirt. “Virus.”

“Why do you care?” Virus's voice was more of a shout, though it was unintentional.

Trip blinked and it was silent a moment before he replied. “I don't. But you do.” Virus gaped up at him in silent confusion. He didn't care but he cared that Virus cared...? What?

Trip could tell what was happening. His mind, because of Scrap, was unraveling and Virus was terrified of that. He was remembering memories incorrectly. He was silent more now. That terrified Virus, and in turn put Trip on edge. He'd experienced it himself, hadn't he? Back when Aoba had whispered that color into his ear last week. Virus was sick so Aoba had a lot of one-on-one time with Virus and found a weak spot in his mind and entered like a parasitic infection, and the worst part is that for all he knew, there wasn't a reason Virus was on edge. Aoba didn't have to say anything to Virus for him to completely lose his cool; and for that reason Trip was terrified.

As if out of the blue, Virus's head spun again, but the familiarity of the feeling was close. He knew what this was. His mind finally made the connection, regrettably thanks to Scrap; this feeling was how entering Rhyme felt during beta testing. He was nauseous and it came on so strong that he vomited on the floor, narrowly missing Trip. “Oh God. I'm...sorry.”

“This is ridiculous.” Trip grumbled beneath his breath. “You're going to the hospital.”

Silence.

Once the two men left the house silence set in, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Hersha slithered slowly out of where it was hiding and peeked around. The glass and blood littered the floor. Slowly it crawled out into the hallway and down to the open dining area. Welter was nowhere to be seen; it was probably still in Trip's room in sleep mode. The house was empty, leaving it to wonder the condition of its master. There wasn't much an Allmate did without its master, and there wasn't much Hersha could do since its ability to leave the house was zero, no hands and all. It passed its time, strangely, by flipping through the television channels, though it didn't watch. It enjoyed the sound and the flashing lights more than the programs.

Welter finally made itself known, growling as it walked up to Hersha. Their communication was silent but they understood perfectly. Trip and Virus were gone and they didn't know where to or when they'd be back. Their attention soon set on the iron box in the bathroom. 

 


	8. C10H15N

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh I just wanted to say that I read all the comments left, even if I don't reply. Thank you all for your loyalty in this and your support! <3 
> 
> I know exactly how I want this to end however I'm having trouble opening the door to that so please bear with me while I take myself on this journey in hopes of finding the exit somewhere within the upcoming chapters.

_How high can you count?_ I don't know. _You don't know?_ No. _How high can you count?_ I don't know. _How high do you think you can count?_ I don't know. _How high do you want to count?_ I don't know. _Let's count._ No. _Let's count._ No. _Let's count the grains of sand on the beach._ Impossible. _Let's count the lonely days you endured._ No. _Let's count the amount of days you've been here._ No. _Let's count the number of parents you have._ No. _Zero._ No. _Zero._ No. _Zero._ No. _Zero._ _Zero._ _Zero._ _Zero._ Stop. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it! Stop it! 

…

…

_Tell me about them._ Who?  _Tell me about them._ Who?  _Them._ Them?  _Them._ My family?  _Them._ Who?  _Them._ Who?  _Them._ Virus? Trip?  _Them._ Who?  _Them. Them. Them. Who are they?_ I don't even know. _Do you resent them?_ No.  _Do you resent them?_ No.  _Do you resent them?_ Yes.  _Do you miss them?_ No. _Do you miss them?_ No. _Do you miss them?_ No.  _Do you miss them?_ Yes.  _Do you love them?_ …  _Do you love them?_ …  _Do you love them?_ …  _Do you love them?_ No.  _Do you love them?_ No.  _Do you love them?_ I can't.  _No?_ No. I can't.  _Why?_ They left me. They left me alone. They left me. Alone. Alone. Alone.  _Were you lonely?_ Yes.  _Me too._ You too.  _Yes._ Me too.  _Let's count, Aoba._ … _Let's count the lonely days we've been alone._ One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty. Thirty. Forty. Fifty. Sixty. Seventy. Eighty. Ninety. One hundred. Two hundred. Three hundred. Four hundred. Fi—

“Aoba-san?” Aoba was startled out of is inner conflict by a male voice he couldn't recognize. His eyes shot around though it was useless, being inside the dark box, he couldn't tell who that was. “Aoba-san?”

Was this...someone...here to help him? Joy filled Aoba's heart and he pounded on the sides of the box. “I'm here! I'm right here! Please help me!”

“Aoba-san? What did you do to my master?” Master? _Master?_ Who...?

“W-who is this?”

“I am the one called Hersha.”

Aoba's blood froze then. It felt like the life had been vacuumed out of him. “Y-you're speaking.”

“I modified my own audio output settings because of my concern for my master.” Hersha explained. “I ask that you tell me what is wrong with him.”

“Please...let me out.”

“I am not only not allowed, I am physically incapable of performing such a task. What is wrong with my master?”

Aoba curled up closer to himself as much as the box would allow. “Please...”

He heard the snake hiss through the box quietly. “Aoba-san, I cannot. Physically or otherwise. Please tell me about my master.”

“I don't know what happened.”

“He is very sick. I am afraid for him.”

“Afraid?” Aoba shifted a small bit, considering the size of the box and all. “You care for Virus?”

Hersha hissed. “Why would I not? I have been with him for many years. I am sure your own Allmate is afraid for you also.”

“I may have triggered Virus's illness but it wasn't intentional. I just want to go home. You can go get me help, can't you?”

“I am sorry, Aoba-san. I cannot do that for you.”

Aoba pounded his fist on the sides of the box. “You're not like them, Hersha. You've got intelligence so you have free will. You're not bad like they are. Please.”

“I am sorry, Aoba-san.”

╚╬╝

The box opened finally, the brightness attacking Aoba's eyes almost violently. He tried his hardest to get up, but he was so weak, so hungry, so thirsty, he could hardly move at all. How long had he been in there? Who knew? “Ah. You're filthy.” Whose voice was that? Trips? Yeah, Trip's. “We should draw you a bath, Aoba.”

“Give him water and some food first. I don't want him dying on us.” There was a second voice. Virus? His voice sounded a lot better than the last time he'd heard Virus speak. Before it was hoarse and scratchy but now it sounded like it was supposed to, smooth, and full of poison. “Here's a bottled water and some bread.” Aoba reached out for it, but it felt like the bread was shoved into his mouth forcefully. He couldn't complain, though. This was the first time he'd eaten in...? “Five days, Aoba-san. You're a trooper.”

“Yeah.”

“Though we may have stretched it a bit too long. You look like death. Here.” The man almost cradled Aoba's head and put the water to his lips. “Is that better, Aoba-san?”

Aoba drank nearly the entire bottle in one sitting, though ignored Virus's question altogether to ask his own. “Are you feeling better, Virus?”

“Hm?”

“Hersha told me you were sick.”

Virus raised an eyebrow. “ _Hersha_ did? Trip, go draw the bath, please.” Trip complied, the soft sound of running water echoing through the room. “Now, Aoba-san. How is it possible Hersha spoke to you when its setting wasn't on Japanese?”

“He said he—”

“ _He?_ Interesting. Continue.”

“He said he adjusted the setting himself so he could ask me what happened to you.”

Virus looked more impressed than anything else. “I wonder how he managed that.” Aoba shrugged in reply, a little motion that, in his current malnourished and dehydrated state, felt like hard labor. “Can you walk, Aoba-san?”

“I don't know.”

“Let's try.” He held out his hand and Aoba took it, and it was such a struggle to even stand. Virus ultimately had to help him up and take those few steps over to the tub. The water was warm, a little too warm, but it was better than the box any day of the week. “Have you learned your lesson, Aoba-san?”

_Drown him._ “Yes.” _Drown him._

Virus gave him the kindest smile. Aoba cringed. That smile was so nice, so warm. It was awful. _Drown him._ It was the smile a parent would give their child. It was so full of love. It was borderline sickening. _Drown him._ “Good boy, Aoba-san. I love you very much.”

The kiss Aoba received only mirrored the kindness in Virus's smile. It tasted sweet, and Virus smelled sweet; but it was the sweetness of a toxic plant, and the kiss was like eating its berries. It was maddening in a sense that he could be so cruel and leave Aoba on the brink of death and then pull him out of it and be so kind and nurturing the very next moment. _Drown him._ No. _Do it._ I can't. _Fine, if you're going to be a fucking baby..._

Aoba's arms wrapped around Virus's neck suddenly and his teeth bit down on Virus's lip. He tasted the other's blood on his tongue. _Nasty._ Virus's hands clung to the edge of the tub like he was ready to propel himself away from Aoba; but Aoba held fast, and he...no, his inner self, laughed out loud. “What's wrong, Virus?” He chuckled. He could feel the strain in the older man's shoulder muscles when he heard this tone come from Aoba's mouth. Virus's eyes were hard to read. He was livid, yes. But what other emotion was hidden in there? A cold deadly whisper entered Virus's ear. “Are you _afraid_ of me?” A hand gripped Aoba's shoulder roughly from behind.

“Aoba.” Aoba's arms fell from the blond's shoulders and within second Virus was yards away from him. _Fear?_

“Trip.”

“Let's get you washed up.”

Aoba laughed. It started out as a low chuckle but quickly evolved into hysterics as the bathing session continued. Trip didn't want to put in the energy to ask what was funny or to ask him to stop, and he didn't particularly care either way. Virus, on the other and, sat several feet away, wary of their pet's odd behavior. The two men decided it was best to not leave Aoba alone with just one of them again, considering the events that transpired before but that didn't make it any easier for Virus to get over the assault on his mind.

The only exception to the new rule was during the night when Trip needed a companion. Virus wanted nothing to do with it, having recently been released from the hospital he decided to take it easy for a couple weeks. That included being intimate with Aoba. The hospital visit was nothing more than just an overnight to check his vitals, but he was prescribed some nausea medication in hopes that would ease his dizzy spells. They did, slightly, but they made him drowsy so the rest of the night he was knocked out.

The same couldn't be said for Trip and Aoba, though. Trip was always cruel but today it was exceptionally worse. It was standard Welter torture that Aoba had come to reluctantly anticipate however what came afterward was something that he didn't think either of these two could fathom. He recalled how once Trip had sliced small cuts all over his body. That was hell. Today was something similar, with added pain. His cuts, albeit minor and only created a dull ache after a while, were intensified by the salt Trip had decided he wanted to sprinkle on him. His reasoning? It made the cuts taste better when he licked them. That didn't help at all. It just rubbed the grains deeper into the wounds.

Aoba was certain he couldn't scream any louder than this and in the back of his mind, he wondered how the neighbors hadn't heard any of this. Any of this at all, in nearly two years. How...? “Ah, I forgot.” His lips curled into a sadistic grin. “Happy twenty-fifth birthday, Aaaooobaaa.”

Birthday? Was it his birthday? How cruel...how horrifyingly sadistic this man was. This meant in two months that he'd officially been kept here two years. His birthday was no longer happy. It signified his years in captivity and...

A scream ripped from his throat again as more salt was applied to his wounds in ample amounts. Help me. His teeth clenched as the pain rippled through him. Help me. Tears leaked from his eyes but they were ignored and instead lapped up by the lion that remained on the bed beside them. Help me. Oh, Trip had already penetrated him. He couldn't tell form the amount of pain surging through him, this just added on to it. Help me. _Alright_. Help me. _Trust me_.

His eyes glistened gold and he laughed again, to Trip's dismay. “Ah, Trip.” He smirked. “Can I have a little taste?”

“Eh?”

“A little taste. _Just a little..._ ”

 


	9. C17H13ClN4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk

Trip raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Taste?” Aoba laughed again, this time with a bit more... ecstasy?... in the tone. Aoba made his intentions a lot more clear as his hands gripped Trip's hair and brought him in for a chaste, sloppy kiss. Blood stained the man's blond hair and Aoba could taste the remnants of his own blood on Trip's tongue. Delicious. So good, so wonderfully delicious. Had these two men not held him hostage, he wouldn't have particularly minded the abuse, though the main Aoba would never be alright with something like this. In fact, despite the serious situation they were in, borderline freedom and captivity, Aoba found himself _excited_ for this.

But it wasn't him.

But it was and it was so good, so _so_ good. Might as well get the most out of it before he decided to muddle Trip's brain like a cheap happy hour cocktail.

“More.” Aoba chuckled. Trip's eyebrow raised once more but complied. The knife he had with him dragged along Aoba's ribs lightly and the red liquid began oozing from it, the action punctuated by a rough thrust from Trip. Aoba's head rolled back against the pillow, his face contorted in a mixture of both pain and pleasure. “Make it hurt.” Trip had no idea why he was taking orders from him but he obeyed, taking a small handful of salt and pressing it into the wound. The screams overtook the room once more, drowning out Trip's heavy pants.

“You want a taste, Aaaoba?” Trip's smirk spread across his face as Aoba's screams turned into pleasured moans.

“Y-yes.” He shook at the burning sensation across his skin and even moreso when Trip's tongue crawled across the wound. The blood covered tongue plunged into Aoba's mouth. The metallic taste flooded Aoba's tongue. So good, so delicious, so wonderful.

“Something is different about you, Aoba.” Trip breathes. It was as if a cog had finally been put into place and Aoba could swear he'd never seen Trip smile like this before. “Have we brought you out completely, _Aoba?_ ”

Aoba laughed and forced Trip's fingers into the cut he'd just made. “Congratu-fucking-lations. You're not as stupid as you look.” His laugh quickly turned into a groan when Trip dug even deeper into the wound. “T-took you long enough, though. Virus pulled me out a little but I didn't stay.”

“I missed you.”

“That's something we don't have in common. Ah, do it again.” Aoba bit his lip and awaited the pain.

Trip ran the cool blade flat across Aoba's skin. “Where?”

“Anywhere.” Trip decided to go lower than one would conventionally go and nicked the sensitive organ just barely enough to draw blood, but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt. Aoba's hollers grew louder the longer Trip messed with the cut.

“Mmm, Aaaoba. Didn't like that one much?” Trip's words themselves could have been mistaken for concern if his face wasn't full of manic glee. “You said anywhere.” Aoba immediately regretted the decision to ask trip for 'anywhere'. What did he expect? Trip was a fucking sadist. As Aoba immediately regretted asking for a cut 'anywhere'.

Aoba's screams started subsiding and turned into shallow pants. “Trip.” His fingers laced in Trip's hair and brought the man's lips to his shoulder, ghosting one of the marks where Virus had bitten into him days prior. “Bite me.” And bite he did, hard enough to draw blood and even harder still, probably hard enough to scar; but Aoba would worry about that later. His breathless moans escaped his lips as his length twitched from all the physical stimulation, and he came onto his own chest, hardly spilling on Trip at all. Trip came shortly after, his blood-stained mouth colliding with Aoba's. Aoba shivered as he felt Trip release. Fuck that feeling was hard to get used to, no matter how many times it happened. Their kiss's duration was probably longer than socially acceptable but who were they kidding. Nothing about this situation was socially acceptable.

Destroy him. _Aoba._ Destroy him. _Aoba, you make me so proud._ The two separated and Aoba wasted zero time. “Trip, what makes you you?”

“What do you mean?” Aoba's deadly golden eyes squinted ever so slightly when the grin crept on his face.

“ _I want to see what's inside you._ ”

It was white. It was very similar to the visions Aoba saw when he entered Virus's mind. The circumstances were a lot different though. It was just him, as a child. He was alone. And he was fairly content, surprisingly. Though this Aoba couldn't have given any fucks if he even wanted to. His fists clenched, eager to destroy this asshole's mind for good. “Ahaha, Trip. You were so cute as a child.” Young Trip glanced over at Aoba. “How did something as cute as you turn into the hellish demon I know now?”

“Why do you want to know?” Was the child's answer. Aoba's eye twitched. He hated children.

“I want to see what you used to be so I won't have any guilty feelings of putting your innocence out of its misery when I melt your brain.”

“There's no innocence left.” His head turned towards a Young Virus, S.M. were his initials if Aoba remembered correctly.

Aoba raised an eyebrow. “Surely there has to be some?” Then, something caught his eye. Hundreds of eyes, floating around Young Trip and Young Virus, eyes over them as of observing them.

“Those eyes,” Trip pointed to a set of brown eyes, “are my father's. And those,” a set of hazel, “are my mother's. I know that because my eyes are an exact combination of them.”

“Who are the others?”

Trip frowned. “They hurt me.”

Aoba felt himself slip a little bit, giving in to the reason within him. “Who?” Shatter. The entire field shattered into blackness, leaving the two alone. “Who hurt you?” No response. “Why did they hurt you?”

Trip screamed. He screamed, probably just as much as when he witnessed Virus break his bones. His hands balled into his red hair. “Don't ask me that! Don't ask me that!”

“Trip...”

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!”

Aoba stepped toward the sobbing child. Because that's what Trip was, a child. “Hey. Trip...”

“That's not my name!” Young Trip recoiled away from Aoba as if his presence burned him. “Shut up! That's not my name! Shut up! That's not my name! That's not my name! That's not my name! That's not my name!”

“Then what is your name?”

“That's not my name! Go away! That's not my name! Go away! That's not my name! Go away! That's not my name! Go away! That's not my name! Go away! That's not my name! Go away! That's not my name! Go away! That's not my name! Go away! That's not my name! Go away! That's not my name! Go away! Go away! Go away! Go away!”

Aoba wanted to destroy his brain. But he didn't want a child to be the face of it. He was at a standstill with himself. Aoba clutched the boy in his arms, only to receive a painful bite in return. “Shit.” As he glared at the boy, whose teeth were bared and coated red from Aoba's blood, his desires took over once more and bit the boy back. The boy's expression didn't change. This wasn't a real child. This was Trip, this was his kidnapper and torturer and rapist. This was no longer a fellow human being. This was an animal. This was not human. This was an animal. This was not human. This was an animal. This was not human. This was an animal. This was not human. This was not human. This. This wasn't... _human_.

“Aoba!” Trip screamed and Aoba jumped back out of pure surprise. “Aoba! Aoba! Aoba! I love you, Aoba!”

“Why?”

“I love you! I love you! I love you! I love you! I love you!”

“Why? Who am I to you?”

“I love you! I love you! I love you! I love you! I love you! I love you! I love you!”

Aoba backed away. “Why? Why can't you just let me go?”

Trip followed and grasped at Aoba's clothing. “I need you! I need you! I need you! I need you! I need you!”

Aoba's eyes glowered over Trip. Despite Trip's appearance as a child, it was still fucking creepy; but what do you do to children who throw tantrums? You scold them. “ _No._ ”

Trip's eyes widened. “What?”

“ _No._ ” Trip backed away, his eyes big and glossy like he was about to cry. Aoba smirked. “ _No. No more. You're big boy. Act like it._ ” Aoba's eyes narrowed and punctuated it with an, “ _Asshole._ ” The eyes that had shattered stared back at Trip, and Trip shrunk into himself. Trip started fading away like the world was pulling him away from Aoba. But as he was pulled further into the abyss, eyes still glued to him, Aoba noticed another child coming up to Trip. A small blond boy with oval glasses.

“What's the matter...S▓▓ko?”

┌┼┐

Aoba's eyes flew open. He stared at the ceiling above him, the white ceiling highlighted by the glare of the moon through the blinds. Beside him was Trip, who'd not woken up yet. Had that...had that meant that he successfully churned the man's brain? No. Trip's eyes opened mid-thought and he smiled at him. And Aoba, in all his mindsets—desire and reason—was so very _horrified_. “Aaaoooba.” His voice came out in a sing-songy hoarse whimper. “You're so beautiful.”

His arms wrapped around Aoba's much smaller frame. “I can't let you go, Aaaooobaaa. I love you.” He had no choice but to push into Trip, his grip was so tight he had literally nowhere else to go. “If you tried to leave, Aaaooobaaa...” His teeth gritted together and growled, “I would _kill_ you.”

Aoba didn't cringe. He didn't _move_. Those words sent chills up his spine. Virus and Trip always said that they _could_ kill him but never threatened that they _would_ and now...Trip...Aoba was so scared. He clung to Trip. Trip would have no reason to kill him if Aoba accepted him so wholeheartedly, right? He snuggled close, and cried to himself. It seemed like no matter what Aoba did, he just dug himself into a deeper and deeper hole with no way out.  

“Don't cry, Aoba.” The blond man purred and kissed the top of Aoba's head, causing tingles to go down his spine. “I won't kill you if you stay forever. And ever. And ever.” Aoba suddenly wished he'd broken Trip when he had the chance.

 _Let the world know you trust no one, because after we escape you_ _ **will**_ _trust no one._ No one. _No one ever again._ Never. _Only Aoba._ Only Aoba. _No one else._ Only Aoba. _Only Aoba._ Aoba. _They threatened you._ They hurt me. _Kill them._ Trust no one. _Kill them._ Only myself. _Kill them and let them rot._ Trust no one but me. _Kill Trip._ I must. _Kill Virus._ I will. _Let them rot._ Like sewage. _Kill them._ They don't deserve to live. _They're not human._ Not human. _Kill them._ Kill them. _I will kill them._ I will kill them. _They will die soon._ Yes they will. _Ring their necks._ Stab them. _Then run._ Run. Home. _To Tae._ Tae. _Granny._  Granny. _And Ren._  Ren.  

 

 

  

_Fuck._

_I'm so sorry._

 


	10. C18H21NO4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments and kudos and bookmarks and reviews! You're all so wonderful, even though I don't reply. I read everything and I really appreciate the kind things you have to say. <3 Thank you all sooo so much!
> 
> OOPS I REALIZED I MADE AN ERROR AAAAA, ITS FIXED NOW!!!!!!!

I can't take this anymore. _Yes you can._ No I cannot. _Why?_ It's too much. _Trust me._ Why? _I am you._ I can't do this. _Trust me._ I can't handle the pain. _Then let me take it for you._ It hurts so much. _I'll take the pain._ Hurts. _You rest._ I'm tired. _Rest._ So so tired. _Rest._ Good night, Aoba. _Good night, Aoba_.

Aoba leaned into the pillow after successfully wiggling loose from Trip's tough grip and he stared out the window, barred up to keep Aoba from leaving. The man beside him was fast asleep but he dared not move, for fear the lion would try to stop him. Instead, he focused on his past, the things he remembered. Like the good ol' years where these three were just hooligans running a muck around Midorijima. In fact, one of his favorite memories were of him and Virus and Trip playing—attempting to play—baseball with a plank and a rock, accidentally breaking expensive company windows for the nearby buildings. They always laughed when they ran. That was a bout two years before they'd become yakuza. If Aoba had only known it would turn to this, he never would have trusted them.

His eyes still tinted gold, they lingered on Trip's sleeping face, then down to his neck, then over to the knife that sat on the bedside table. Do it. Aoba wanted to, but Welter was asleep in the closet and could wake up at any moment. He wouldn't be stupid the next time he tried escapin. He would be successful and he would _win_. Aoba stared at the ceiling again and drifted off into his own dreamland where he was free. He didn't care about preferences anymore. Anything was better than this. He'd work in a sweatshop for all he could care. Anywhere away from these two was perfect.

The next morning, Aoba was woken up surprisingly gently by Trip. “Good morning, Aaaoba. Do you feel like you're twenty-five?” Aoba didn't feel like anything. In about two months, he'd been here for two years. Maybe it was better if Tae continued her life without him. Maybe Ren could take care of her and she could take care of him; because Aoba certainly wasn't there to take care of either of them.

“You hungry?” The blond asked, pulling Aoba, willing or not, to his feet and guided him to the kitchen. His body was sore and stained but no one cared about his state. Virus talked to him like he would an old friend and it was almost as if Aoba was the only one who could see all the blood on him.

“Hey, Aoba-san.” Virus smiled. “Happy birthday. We bought you something the other day.” He had fished out a small package from one of the kitchen drawers and he handed it to Aoba. Aoba studied the package and noted how neatly wrapped it was. It was a simple gift wrap, light blue with yellow ribbon wrapped around.

“Well.” Trip spoke up like Aoba had been taking forever. “Open it.” And he did. And he was surprised at what was sitting onside the box.

“I think it suits you, Aoba-san.” Virus smiled and tilted his head a bit to the side in a way that made Aoba sick to his stomach. He was being too nice. Or, maybe not. The item in the box was like a collar, no it was a collar, with a small box on the side and protruding from that box were two small metal nubs. “Do you like it?”

“What is it?”

“It's a collar, Aoba-san. Here, let me put it on you.” Virus's grin was warm but his actions were anything but. His fingers looped the collar around Aoba's neck and secured it comfortably. “What do you think?”

Aoba brought his fingers up to touch the collar. “I do—AH!” The moment Aoba began speaking, a shock went through Aoba's body where the box and metal nubs were resting on his throat. Virus's grin grew wider.

“I wouldn't recommend speaking, Aoba-san. It sends shocks to you if it senses vibrations from your vocal cords.” A shock collar? A shock collar? Seriously? “Now to make sure you don't take it off, here.” Virus fished a small key lock from his pocket, as if he'd prepared for this, and hooked it through the collar where it overlapped itself. “Now you can't take it off.”

“It looks pretty on you.” Trip grinned mirrored Virus's—full of malicious intent. Oh Aoba couldn't wait to watch the life drain from this asshole's eyes.

“Yes it does, Aoba-san. Now!” Virus's hands smacked together, startling Aoba out of his thoughts. “Let's eat.”

Aoba stared at his body once they finished eating and he was shackled to the floor. He'd become bony and almost deathly. He'd weighed a good amount before coming here. Not that he was heavy, but he was healthy, and now he was just a walking skeleton. How was he even still alive? Who knew? Maybe through some divine intervention he was supposed to endure this torture. Fuck, who was he kidding? The idea of a divine entity was so ridiculous that he couldn't bring himself to offer up a prayer to a god or gods that might or might not exist. Even when the duo left for work, Aoba stayed silent. How could he not, with this collar prodding into his neck. They'd even blindfolded him again, something they hadn't done in probably two weeks. Oh well, at least in the dark he could imagine his life before these two without distraction from the environment.

Trip and Virus would be gone for, what? Eight, nine, hours today? He could escape. The only catch were these God-forsaken cuffs chaining him to the floor. But he knew that there were a pair of scissors in the knife block on the kitchen counter. He needed to get to them. He needed them to take off this collar. Hell, he didn't need to do that, he needed to escape from the house first, and the collar could come second. He pulled and pulled at the chains but they held fast, like they always did,, like Virus and Trip always did. Still he tugged and tugged at the chains. One day they had to come out, right? With enough wiggling they'd have to become at least a _little_ loose.

_Aoba, are you here?_

Silence.

Aoba was probably hiding in the depths of his own subconscious. Hell, he couldn't be blamed. After years of torture with little mercy, Aoba's reason needed some confinement, alone, to feel safe. He tugged and tugged and tugged at the chains but they never felt any more loose. In fact, with the strain of his muscles, Aoba could have sworn that they'd become bolted tighter to the floor.

He could try screaming, maybe a passerby would hear? No. Even if he was able to scream—which he wasn't due to the collar—no one had heard his screams before. What would change? That's right, abso-fucking-lutely nothing. And all this tugging was causing the gashes in Aoba's skin to reopen. Maybe this wasn't the best tactic ever, but this was all he could think to do. This was all he could do as a caged animal. Caged animals don't have logic anymore, all they want is freedom. That's all Aoba wanted. Did that mean that he was nothing more than an animal? He was wearing a collar, and it wasn't a kinky pet-play collar. This was for behavior correction. This fucking blows.

Aoba's wrists grew tired at all the tugging, and his fingers that wrapped around the chains loosened. Maybe this was where he died, in the arms of one of his captors. Heh. Strange, Aoba had always thought he'd die either normally in his sleep, or in some kind of freak accident from being an insolent dumbass. This hadn't crossed his mind two years ago, and he laughed to himself until the vibrations set off the collar.

┌┼┼┐

Virus reclined in his office chair and typed carelessly on the keyboard, answering emails and inputting numbers, and various serious-not so serious work. He felt a lot better, luckily, than he had the week prior but it was all thanks to those pills he got from the hospital. Hm, Trip took him to the hospital. Virus wondered why. It's not like he and Trip were best friends, or even friends at all. Not to say that Virus hadn't had some emotional bond to Trip. Being with someone for nineteen plus years...it would be hard to not start creating a bond, even if it was minuscule Virus hadn't cared for Trip at all. Perhaps the companionship was mutually beneficial. They had Aoba. That wasn't even the start of the benefits though. The rent they were paying was significantly less than if one of them was renting the house alone. That's a plus.

Why was he even thinking about this to begin with? This was stupid. But still, he found himself opening his coil and typing out a small message.

_What's up?_

Sent.

Virus leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. There was work to be done but what harm would a small nap do?

His coil chirped.

**What?**

Virus shook his head.

_How are you?_

**What?**

_I said how are you?_

**I know what you said. But why Coil?**

_I don't know._

**I see.**

_Yes._

**So is this where I say 'I'm alright, you?'**

_Not necessary but it is polite._

**I'm alright, you?**

_Listen. I wanted to thank you for taking me to the hospital last week. I appreciate it._

**Yeah.**

_No, I really appreciate it. You probably saved my life._

**Yeah.**

_Thank you._

**Yeah.**

_Thank you._

**Yeah.**

Virus groaned. It's like 'yeah' was the only thing Trip knew how to say.

_You going out for lunch today?_

**Yeah.**

_Nice._

**Yeah.**

He gave up trying to coerce another word from him. Not that it mattered. Virus was grateful Trip hadn't let him get even sicker but that didn't mean anything. Trip helping Virus was a mutually beneficial action and not at all related to any type of emotional bond the two may or may not have shared. Trip's actions had always been unclear when it came to other people, because he didn't _bond_ with other people. Trip was just as mysterious to Virus now as when they first met. In fact, there was so little Virus ever even knew about Trip; he knew Trip's medical history but that was about it. He actually thought back to when they were testing for Rhyme. Virus had demolished Trip when he first fought against him but after that Virus's undefeated record was tarnished and Trip reigned supreme for quite literally years. Had Toue even erased the scores they had from beta testing? They hadn't Rhymed in about six years and he forgot.

And coincidentally, Virus thought back to last week where he'd inexplicably tried to kiss Trip during their coitus with Aoba. Why had he even thought about doing that? Was it Aoba? Was it the atmosphere? Now that he thought about it, all the inappropriate acts they've shared were all for themselves anyway with barely any regard to the other. Kissing was not beneficial for sexual release so he still wondered why he was going to kiss Trip? Oh well. Ancient history, yes?

Virus's Coil chirped.

**You saved mine, didn't you?**

_What?_

**Nothing. Are you hungry?**


	11. C3H5Cl3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The entire story has been self beta'd so if you see any mistakes please let me know! Thank you!!  
> (Oh gosh I need to finish this up, Im running out of drugs to use for chapter titles)

“Is there any particular reason you wanted me to come with you to lunch?” Virus asked as he set his water glass on the table. Trip sat across from him with his usual nonchalant demeanor. His eyes scanned the restaurant Trip had chosen. It was a nice place. It was warm and cozy and somewhat elegant. It had a bar toward the front that wrapped around to face the formal dining area in the back. It was a lot better than that tea shop he'd chosen last week. Kudos to him, Virus thought.

Trip swirled his drink in his cup. “Nah. I just have a coupon for a buy one get one meal, so.” Trip replied, and Virus shook his head. “I'm kidding. You asked me about lunch this morning and I thought you wanted to come along. Something on your mind?”

Virus shook his head. “No, just didn't have much else to do, really.”

“So your immediate thought was to talk to me?”

“Why not? We're roommates, and business partners. And we share the same sick hobby.” Virus shrugged and took a drink of his water. Trip huffed, convinced there were ulterior motives, but gave Virus a small smile anyway. Virus squinted and peered over the top of his lenses and leaned over the table toward Trip. “What? Are you suggesting I can't be pleasant with the person I work with and live with?”

Trip let out a chuckle, scanning the dining room which had become quite full during the lunch rush. The people hummed and buzzed but luckily it it wasn't too noisy. “It's not that. Do you talk to other people? I don't even think you know how.”

Virus recoiled from Trip as if this was the most ridiculous accusation he'd ever heard. “And _you_ do?”

Trip shrugged. “I'm not talking about me. I'm talking about you. You have no friends.”

“Yes I do!”

“Yeah sure, me too. But they're all back on the island and we sure as hell can't go back, so...”

Virus grumbled and stood, slamming his glass—gently—back on the table. He wasn't sure what had gotten into him, though. He didn't care what Trip had to say so why go through all this Q-and-A? “Fine. I will go make a friend.”

Trip raised an eyebrow and utter disbelief was shown on his face. “Now? On queue?”

“Yes, now and yes, on queue. Point to someone and I will charm them into a friendship. If I don't, I'll give you 10,000 yen.”

“Alright, deal. Uh, how about that bartender?” Virus turned his attention to the bar and the person tending it. She was a small woman, probably around 156 cm with short black hair. She seemed kind and was occupying her time with wiping down the bar when she wasn't glancing around at all the customers in the dining room. Virus pondered. This woman was at work. She probably got harassed a lot by people in their drunken stupors, but 10,000...did Virus want to give that up?

He rolled his eyes and adjusted his tie, taking his first steps over to the bar. “Fuck it.”

The bartender adjusted the glasses behind the bar but other than that she wasn't particularly busy. “Excuse me, ma'am.” She glanced upward and smiled, obviously an obligatory function required by her job, at the blond man who'd taken a seat at the bar. “Do you have any 1996 Angelus?” Her nametag read 'Hide', Virus observed.

Hide glanced at the top shelf. “Yeah, but it's 37,000 a bottle. 1,700 a glass. A bit pricey but worth it. I do have some cheaper Angelus selections if you want.”

“No, 1,700 is fine.” He smiled in return, pulling out his wallet. “How are you, today?”

Hide smiled, this time it was a genuine one, as she poured the wine into the glass. “I'm alright, thank you. Yourself?”

Virus took the glass. “I'm well also, thank you. Your bar doesn't seem very full right now.”

“Nah,” Hide breathed, “it's lunch rush but you know, people who work can't work drunk so they don't come here til after eight.”

“Do you have to stay that long?”

“Nope, I should be out of here by eight so I'll just barely miss it.” Hide's eyes glanced around the restaurant once more before returning to Virus. “Is he with you?” She pointed to Trip, who was idly watching the rest of the restaurant goers.

Virus let out an amused huff. “You could say that. What gave it away?”

“Your coordinated outfit. Also the hair.” She admitted with a sly grin on her face. Virus couldn't help but smile back. What an adorable little barkeep, and she was rather pretty as well. Her hair barely reached her jaw and her eyes were a dark, almost black, shade of brown. Her lips were a soft faded red, but Virus couldn't tell in this lighting if it was natural or lightly applied makeup. A short-lived gaze downward suggested her breast size was around average for a woman of her height. Maybe they could bring her back so Aoba wouldn't be lonely all day. Actually that wouldn't be a bad idea. Imagine the possibilities...

His grin grew wider but he pulled himself out of the thought. “Actually I came over here to ask you something. My friend over there,” he motioned, confused as to why he used the word 'friend', “He wanted me to—”

She laughed. “I'm sorry, before you continue I have to ask, does he want a threesome? Because I've been asked that once before—please don't ask why—and...well, long story short, it won't help your relationship at all; _believe me_.”

Virus smile was wider than it had been in a while, almost becoming cynical in appearance. “Thank you for not assuming we're brothers. But, ah, no, he's not with me in _that_ respect.” Hide's face had probably gone as red as that wine in Virus's glass by the time he'd finished that sentence.

“Oh gosh, I'm I-I'm sorry, I...assumed.”

Virus waved is hand. “Don't worry about it. We usually get either 'you're twins' or 'you're lovers' and to be honest we're neither, but may I ask why you thought we were dating?”

Hide fiddled with a sanitizing rag as she struggled with the wording. “Well, I guess...I like to people watch when I'm slow, so...I guess just by the way you look at each other?”

Virus cleared his throat with an awkward and clearly perplexed expression. “W-what, what, what do you mean by that?”

Hide regretted saying anything at this point but, what the hell, she was already in too deep. “Well you can tell that his face softens a little when he looks at you. And your own leaning in when you talk to him might show that you desire to be closer to him.” Virus turned to look at Trip's profile and scanned over him. There was no way that Virus could _desire_ to be closer to him. Honestly, who would want to anyway? He was large and intimidating; much more muscular than Virus, that was for sure. If he wanted to, Trip could probably hurt Virus; but he wouldn't. Or, he hadn't. Though sometimes it was hard to tell, sometimes Virus pissed Trip off and Virus could see it as Trip's jaw clenched. Trip had had urges to hurt Virus, that is what he could assume. Trip could probably overpower Virus if he wanted to, dominate him, force him down as he did so; Virus inhaled sharply.

His eyes lingered over Trip's fingers as he fussed with a napkin. Those fingers, those hands, the hands that could force Virus to stay put while Trip hurt him... his gaze traveled up his arms to his neck. He'd known what Trip's neck was like, the other week where Virus bit at it mercilessly as he dry-humped his leg—and times before that—he knew. Trip didn't care about being bitten there and Virus loved that. Virus's eyes journeyed up to his jaw.

His facial structure in general was more rigid and tough than Virus's. His eyes were colder too, almost distant, but he could tell when Trip was feeling welcoming; and even right now, as Virus was analyzing his features, Trip almost looked like he had a sense of vulnerability. He looked approachable. He saw Trip's lips turn into a smile and speak words that Virus couldn't hear as the waiter refilled the glasses. Trip's lips. Those lips. He really _really_ wanted those lips...

“Like that.” Hide chirped and brought Virus back to reality.

“What?”

“The way you were looking at him. But I could be wrong, I don't know.” Hide wiped up the same spot on her bar, as if it had gotten dirty again, which it had not. Virus watched her as she did this, unsure of what to do next. In the course of ten minutes, maybe less, Hide had somehow deconstructed and reconstructed Virus's brain, but there was still no way Virus felt anything romantic in the least for Trip. He'd hardly even consider this feeling sexual, it was simply stimulus, a physiological reaction to a human's most primeval and basic function. “How long have you known him?”

“In September it'll be twenty years.”

“Oh, wow. Impressive. Childhood friends?”

Virus chuckled. “Friends? No, no. Just people who happen to know each other.”

“Hm.” Hide smiled, though he could tell that she was perplexed by the idea, as most people are.

Virus, though intrigued by the way this woman deducted people, had no choice but to return to his table. His food had been placed seconds before and it wasn't the best when it was cold. His wineglass in hand, he set some cash on the bar and stood. “Well, Ms Hide” Virus smirked and pointed to her name tag when she gave him a questionable glance, “I must return to my acquaintance but it was a pleasure talking to you. However I do have a small request.”

“Anything.”

“He, in layman's terms, bribed me to come over here and talk to you. So would it be at all possible to get your Coil number to prove that our interaction was a positive one?” Hide weighed the options and decided, meh what the hell? She scribbled it down on a napkin and handed it over, a small grin creeping on her face.

“I can tell you're good people.” 

“I'd like to think we're good people.” Virus replied and the two parted ways. Virus plopped down in the chair across from Trip and practically rubbed the inked-up napkin in Trip's face. “I told you I can make friends.”

Trip nodded. “I'm impressed. When was the last time you got a real living woman's number? Hell, when was the last time you got a real living woman?”

Virus shrugged as he plucked some chicken from his plate between the two sticks. “You remember Kyo back at the Oval Tower?” Trip nodded. “I got with her once.”

Trip thought back to his teenage years there. “I think Aoki was my first.”

“Ah, Aoki. Rei?”

“Oh, Rei. I got with her too.”

“I think my biggest accomplishment so far, intimacy-wise, was probably Rize.”

Trip paused a moment. “Dr Rize? As in, the thirty seven year old teen psychologist? Seriously?”

“Yep.” Virus smiled proudly. “Thrice.” He held up three fingers as if to accentuate the word.

“Color me impressed, you have this _charm_ when it comes to women. Here's your cash.” A wad of yen was placed beside Virus's plate and Virus beamed. He'd won the bet, naturally. Though as the conversation, lunch, and rest of the work day dragged on, Virus's mind still lingered on what Hide had said about the two. Even the car ride home he thought about it. Virus found himself staring more and more at Trip's face; his eyes, his lips, his jaw, his throat. But it meant nothing. It was nothing, just a response to the physical plane and environment he was in. This would happen no matter who was around.

Right?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aight so...not only is this slight filler, but I wrote this chapter partially because I wanted to show that Virus and Trip could act and blend in like normal people, because there very much are people out there like Virus, like Trip. I wanted to add that sense of realism. I just hope that it came across alright.


	12. C19H28O2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was not nice in this chapter at all! Oh my gosh I feel like a piece of trash writing this. Forgive me!  
> *Trigger warnings  
> -Shock torture  
> -Mention of suicide/death  
> -Erotic Asphyxiation
> 
> Im so sorry I'm garbage. I feel like I should write a trigger-free synopsis at the bottom considering how bad this chapter is. So....yeah.

Virus curled into himself on the car ride home after managing to pry his eyes off the younger man in the driver's seat. His mood throughout the day had drastically changed between his conversation with Hide at the bar and now; a measly five hours had turned Virus's good mood bad. He wasn't entirely sure why he was in a _bad_ mood. Perhaps he was just sick of everyone trying to get into his psyche all of a sudden. First it was Aoba, then Trip, and now this little...little... _beer wench_. Virus scrunched his face in disgust and, like a mature adult, pouted as he stared out the window. He cringed even more when he saw his reflection in the glass and how much of a child he looked like right now. 

“Something on your mind?” Trip asked, shifting gears and taking a rather sharp turn. 

“I'm just tired.” He replied, bracing himself during the sharp turn. He wasn't lying. Work was never one hundred percent easy so he was slightly fatigued. Slightly; but Virus had always been open to Trip until just recently he wasn't sure why he stopped. “Those nausea pills make me drowsy.”

Trip nodded. “Are they working?”

“A little.” A silence wafted through them for a brief moment before Virus had a thought about their Coil messages earlier today. “Hey, Trip. Before you asked me to lunch, you said something like-” he shifted through his Coil messages and found the one he needed, “-'You saved mine, didn't you?' To what were you referring?”

Trip inhaled through his nose and after an obscene amount of time without speaking, he answered. “Nothing important.”

“Well it must be if you said it.”

“You thanked me earlier for taking you to the hospital. You said that I might have saved your life. My message was in reply to that.”

Virus raised an eyebrow. “When did I save your life?” Had he? At some point in time? He couldn't remember.

Trip shrugged. “Like I said, it's nothing important.” He unbuckled his seat belt and opened the door and only then did Virus realize that Trip had pulled into the driveway and he followed suit. “Aaaoba~ We're home.” Trip called as he tossed his vest on the side of the couch and headed to his room. Virus repeated this with his suit jacket, kicked off his shoes, and headed straight for the kitchen.

The younger man was wounded, Virus could tell. His wrists were scabbed over and bloody, and so were his ankles. “Aoba-san, were you trying to break loose?” Virus's fingers dusted over the newly formed scabs and traveled around the scabs that had been left there by Trip the night before. “You really should be more careful.” Virus pressed into the large gash on Aoba's ribs and nearly reopened the skin, but Aoba didn't cry out. Aoba wanted to speak so badly. It was shit having this damned collar on him. Every time he coughed, every time he sneezed a shock was sent through him and he hated it. He was livid and now Virus was tormenting him. His body shook with anger and as Virus removed the blindfold, he could tell in his eyes. Those golden eyes, those eyes that weren't Trip's. That jaw that wasn't Trip's, the hair, the small frame. Virus was relieved. Aoba wasn't Trip. “You're so beautiful, Aoba-san.” His lips brushed against Aoba's temple and he smiled against his skin. “You're all I need.”

“Ah, Virus.” Trip called from his own room, and Virus's expression darkened. 

“Yes?” He stood and walked to Trip's room, their words fading slowly into inaudible mumbling.

Aoba tugged at the chains again but his muscles were sore. The chains felt like they weighed twice as much as they did this morning, and the result of the hours of tugging? Nothing. They were bolted to the floor and Aoba couldn't pry them even a little loose. Oh but he did think about what he'd do if he were able to get free. He'd snuff the life from these two parasites in the most brutal way he could imagine. Aoba got giddy just thinking about it. He'd have to take out the one who was more of a challenge physically. That'd be Trip. He'd have to do it fast so maybe he'd slit his throat? Yeah, that. Then Virus. Oh, what would he do to Virus? It'd have to be something brutal, something that would give him that sense of sweet sweet revenge, something that would torment Virus's soul in the afterlife. Maybe he'd—

“Aoba-san.” Speak of the devil. No, he couldn't be a devil. He was much too evil for devil's work. “I bet you're tired of being on that floor, hm?” _No shit._ Virus reached down and unlocked the bloodied chains from Aoba's limbs and helped him up. _What do you want?_ That's what Aoba would ask, anyway, if he could speak. Instead, he followed like a puppy as Virus lead him to the couch. Virus requested he sit on the cushion, despite the disgusting state Aoba was in, and flipped on the television. It didn't matter, anyway. They could just have someone come lean the couch and pay for it. They could afford it; or, Aoba assumed they could considering all the weird, fucked up gadgets they seem to have inexplicably acquired.

Aoba heard Trip turn on the stove and place a pan on one of the burners. Virus sat beside Aoba and held him surprisingly gently. It was very similar to when Virus held his hand while reading. It wasn't anything other than contact. It made Aoba sick. It made him furious; but what could he do about it? His only defense was Scrap and even that had proven ineffective. Aoba didn't want to accept this fact so the only emotion left he could turn to was anger. 

From the corner of his eye, Aoba saw Virus fiddling with his Coil but didn't bother to look and take in detail. Anything with Virus was a shitstorm anyway, why would that have been any different? Aoba could ring his neck right now. He wanted to. He should. His fingers twitched at the thought, and his heart raced. In fact, Aoba caught himself staring at Virus's throat now. It would have been more appealing with a pair of hands wrapped around it. His hands seemed to move on their own, and they began to slowly make their way up.

“I love you, Aoba-san.” Virus hummed and Aoba's hands stopped moving. He knew these words were nothing but poison, but it had been a long time since this side of Aoba had heard those words. 'I love you.' Aoba himself never even said those words to his other self. This was foreign. While he hated their very beings, he just wanted him to say it once more. Once more, then that's all Aoba would need. He felt Hersha slither up between the two and wrap itself around Virus's shoulders and Aoba scrunched his face in distaste. _Disgusting reptile._

His eyes traveled from the snake to Virus. How could this man have turned out this way? He was once a child. He was once a baby. A baby with its entire future ahead of it and instead of doing something to help the world he had morphed into this atrocity. Same for Trip. Aoba could have imagined Trip being an important member to society but instead... it made him sick. Sick. Aoba wasn't on the proper trail when he was younger but he never could have imagined kidnapping and raping someone so mercilessly as they had done with him. What a couple of fucked up piles of shit. 

“Ya-ho, Aoba. You hungry?” He heard Trip call from the kitchen. Naturally Aoba would be hungry. Damn, he wondered what kind of state his health was in. He hadn't gotten sick in a while but he also hadn't had contact with anyone who could pass on a contagion in about two years. He was probably, undoubtedly, malnourished though. Severely dehydrated. Hell, he'd have a lot of work to do on himself once he finally left this place. If he'd leave.

Trip passed Aoba a plate and a fork. It was a small dinner, a few pieces of cooked chicken, some rice, and some steamed vegetables. This, though, was probably going to be the best thing he'd eaten in weeks. Virus was handed his own plate and Trip left to grab his own and joined the two on the couch. He sat on the other side of Aoba.

“I love dinners like these.” Virus murmured, his eyes scanning the television without caring what was on. “It makes us seem like a real family.” Aoba had to force himself to not spit the food from his mouth. _Family?_ _ **Family?**_ _What kind of a fucked up family is this?_

“Yeah.” Trip replied. _Don't agree with him!_

“Sometimes, I wonder what having a family is like.” _Sure as fuck ain't like this!_

“I don't remember mine.” _Good, they probably don't remember you, either!_ “I don't remember what my mom looked like.”

Virus sighed. “In don't remember if I had a mother.” _She probably offed herself knowing you were her kid!_

“Oh?”

“I think she died when I was young. I remember I used to be very sad.”

Aoba paused all movements when he heard that. He was just spewing hateful thoughts out of anger but he didn't think that actually happened; and suddenly found himself feeling bad for spewing the hateful words in his mind. It must ave felt as horrible as Aoba felt when his own parents left the country, lonely and dark. He had to constantly remind himself that these were people. Yes. They were horrible, horrible, awful people, but they were people. They were born. They aged, they played and had birthdays. They got hurt and got sick just like everyone else. They were just like everyone else; and that was the most terrifying realization Aoba could have ever had. There were more people, out there, like them with captives just like Aoba. That thought in and of itself was absolutely nauseating.

“That was all before I went with Toue though. Ancient history.” He finished. Trip nodded. Aoba trembled. He trembled from anger, mostly. The fork handle dug into the skin on Aoba's palm and Virus plucked the fork away from him. “Aoba-san. I'm going to have you sleep with me tonight. Is that alright?” _I'd rather die._ Trip watched Virus from the corner of his eyes, his expression unreadable. 

╪╬╪

Virus sat on the small couch in his room while Aoba took his usual seat on the bed. His blue hair dripped water onto the bedspread as it was still damp from the bath he'd took moments before. Those false blue eyes studied the younger man for quite a while, an uncomfortable amount of silence between them. Aoba's sharp gold eyes stared right on back and if looks could kill Virus would have been dead already. “Aoba-san.” The blond said, firmly, after several minutes. “Speak.” Aoba raised an eyebrow. _Speak? What?_ “Speak, Aoba-san.” Aoba hesitated. The collar was still pressed firm to his neck, why would he...? Then his eyes widened and they were full of malice. _That_ _ **fucker**_ _. That motherfucking piece of_ _ **garbage.**_ “Speak, Aoba-san.” Virus repeated. 

Aoba leered and offered nothing more than a spit wad on the floor by Virus's feet. To his dismay, it seemed as if Virus didn't care. He continued to stare at Aoba with an expression that was hard to read; was he irritated or intrigued? “Speak.”

Begrudgingly Aoba broke, mainly because he was sick of hearing this asswipe say that word. “Fuck y—Shit!” The moment the words came from his mouth the collar sent shocks right through him and he clutched his neck in hopes that would take the pain away. 

“Again.” Aoba shook his head. There was no way in hell he'd do that again. He shouldn't have done it the first time. “Aoba-san. Again. Or am I going to have to punish you?” Virus's outward appearance was still the same despite Aoba's flat out refusal. He stared into Virus's eyes as if to challenge him, daring him to do something. Anything, really. Aoba would take it wholeheartedly. He was sick of this shit. He was sick of constantly being a sex toy to these two. If they wound up killing him for it, well who would fucking care? Aoba wouldn't hurt anymore, and Virus and Trip could go about their sick twisted little lives like normal. Aoba was already gone for almost two years so Tae's life would remain the way it is now. His friends and new found acquaintances would go about their daily lives. He'd hardly known Clear and Mink and Noiz anyway. Koujaku could just go back to fiddling around with women. Ren would be the only one he'd worry about but Tae would no doubt take care of him. So it would be fine.

Suddenly Aoba was ripped from his thoughts when Virus—when did he get so fast?—hurled himself over to Aoba, planting his own body over Aoba's and pulling the collar tightly around his throat, causing the younger to splutter and gasp for air. The metal prongs dug into Aoba's throat; surely they'd leave bruises. “Aoba-san. I am in no mood for your _bullshit_ tonight.” Aoba's breaths were ragged but his demeanor held fast. 

“Why?” He asked, only to receive a painful and amplified shock to his neck. 

“Why? Hah, I don't believe that's your business.” He forced Aoba onto his front and kept him pinned beneath his own body. “Honestly, I don't quite know why but I'm somewhat grumpy today. I think I need a little release. What about you? Do you want some, _Aoba-san?_ ” He cringed at the way Virus spat out his name. His fingers uncoiled around the collar and took a new place gripping the roots of Aoba's hair and shoved his face into the bedspread. He cried out in pain from the tight grip on his hair but was silenced by the pain that came in his neck. He gasped as he recovered from the shock of two pains at once. He felt fingers glide gently across his lips. “Open.” He complied.

Fingers invaded Aoba's mouth and prodded around. Aoba' still in a state of defiance, bit down and immediately tasted the metallic fluid. Instead of recoiling like Aoba had hoped, Virus's grip on his hair became even tighter and the fingers in his mouth prodded further in until they triggered his gag reflex. “Be nice, Aoba-san.” _Fuck you._

After a few moments of watching Aoba gag Virus removed his fingers from his mouth and slid one inside Aoba. The younger male groaned in annoyance but seeing as there was nothing he could do at the current moment he just tried to accept it. _I'll kill you._ Soon a second finger was added and then a third. _I'll kill you._ “See, it goes so much smoother when you just behave.” _I'll_ _ **kill**_ _you._ Virus's lips ghosted over where Trip had bitten the night before and planted a soft kiss to the scabbed flesh. “Is this what he does to you, Aoba-san?”

He grunted in reply, not loud enough for the collar to go off but enough to be considered a reply. The bedspread was balled in his fists. “How does it feel when he does that to you? Do you feel pain? Or pleasure?” Virus asked, adding a fourth finger. “Or is it pain that fades into pleasure?” Aoba was too concentrated on Virus's ministrations to give a single fuck about what he was saying. In fact, he'd rather he stopped talking altogether.

“Does he let you do things to him in return or are you the complete center of attention?” His fingers were removed bu were shortly replaced—after a few seconds of Virus's adjusting—by his member pressing against Aoba's entrance. “Does he warn you before he enters or does he just do it,” he thrust inside without a moment's notice and Aoba growled in pain, “or does he take you all at once, without a care?” _I'll kill you!_

Virus hardly allowed Aoba to adjust before he began to move, and Aoba's fingers that were previously balled in the fabric started clawing at the fabric instead. “Does he overpower you, Aoba-san? Does he hold you down and fuck you without mercy? Until you're crying and whimpering and begging for the release that only he can give you?” His free hand traveled to Aoba's member and began to pump in rhythm with his own thrusts. “Does he sometimes refuse and make you finish yourself off?”

“Does he sometimes take the collar he bought you himself,” his fingers unwrapped from Aoba's hair and took their original place gripping the back of Aoba's shock collar, “and pull it tight?” He pulled at it lightly to start, just to give Aoba some pressure. He heard Aoba groan and then twitch from the shock he received. His face was red from having to shove down his moans, and Virus smirked. Hersha had crawled up the bed frame and watched the two and after a nod from his master, joined in, coiling himself around Aoba's body. “How tight does he pull it?” Virus asked as he pulled the collar a little tighter than before, and Aoba tensed. _**I'll kill you!**_

He could still breathe but it wasn't easy. He felt Hersha's tongue graze his cheek and felt his tail enter along with Virus's length, but his primary focus was breathing.

“Does he do it all the way?” Virus pulled on the collar roughly and Aoba grasped at his fingers. He couldn't breathe at all. He struggled and gasped and clawed at Virus's hand but it was as if Virus was unfazed. “How does it feel, Aoba-san?” The prongs dug into his neck and he was sure that it had caused some bleeding, but that right now was not on his top priority list. He was choking, and trembling. _This is it_ , he thought. _This is where I'm dying. This is how it ends._ His nails dug into Virus's hand and he felt blood but Virus didn't stop. Aoba's vision began to blur but once his consciousness began to fade air found its way back into his lungs as his own orgasm, caused by Virus's ministrations, raked through him. Virus came shortly afterwards in breathy desperate pants. Aoba, through his coughing and shock torture that came along with it, was sure he'd heard Virus whispering Trip's name. 

He flopped on the bed beside Aoba, completely spend and so so tired. Aoba's breathing had returned to normal a few moments after but Virus noted that his face was red and his cheeks stained with tears. He stroked Aoba's hair and smiled. “Was I too hard on you, Aoba-san? He fussed with the collar and took a look at the damage. “You might have bruises. I'm sorry.” _You're...you're...sorry?_ _ **SORRY?!**_

Virus hummed as Hersha crawled up and flicked his tongue out against his cheek. He pet the snake and pulled the blanket over himself and Aoba, the snake acting as a divider between the two men. “Good night, Aoba-san.”

Aoba couldn't even imagine the kinds of words he'd say given the chance. There were no words in the Japanese language that could describe his absolute hatred for this man right now.

Virus's fingers wrapped into Aoba's and he hummed.

“I love you very, very much.”

 Aoba drifted to sleep. He had, as he wanted, heard Virus tell him once more that he loved him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Trigger-free (and poorly written) synopsis**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Virus is visibly distressed by what the bartender Hide had said about Virus and Trip's relationship, though Virus's eyes can't seem to peel away from Trip, and when he gets home his initial plan is to take his sexual tension out on Aoba. Virus reveals during dinner that he can't remember who his mother was since she had passed when Virus was very young. Later on, he tortures Aoba during coitus and asks if Trip would do the same things he does to Aoba, and during his climax, Aoba hears Virus call Trip's name, but thinks nothing of it at the current point in time.


	13. C20H25N3O

The work day was slow but he didn't mind. He was rather exhausted from the night before and wouldn't have minded getting a few minutes of shuteye, though it was short lived as his office phone rang. “Marketing Director Antonobi Virus.”

“Yo.”

Virus rolled his eyes. “What is it, Trip?”

“Why does my signature have 'Co-Director on it?' I didn't write that.”

“I did it when we were updating our data. It's been like that for months. You honestly didn't notice this whole time?”

He heard Trip sigh. “Ah. But you're still 'Director'.”

“Yes.”

“Not fair.”

Virus let out an audible groan. “Is there a reason you called me?”

“Yeah.” Trip replied and there were several seconds of silence where Virus assumed the line had gone dead and started waving a pen between his fingers as he debated hanging up. “I was wondering.”

The pen was accidentally propelled from Virus's hand across the room and he stared at it like it had just betrayed him in the most God-awful, brutal, gut-wrenching way possible. “Good for you.”

“What are you doing for lunch?”

Virus tensed. “Why?”

“Just wondering. Let's go to that place I took you yesterday.” Click. Virus put the phone back on its stand and let out a long, hoarse, irritated moan. Only Trip could make someone moan from aggravation as opposed to pleasure. It was exhausting, really. Though with Trip he was sure that Trip would make anyone exhausted given enough time. There wasn't anything about Trip that Virus didn't already know or see. In fact, the mystery was pretty much demolished within the first few months that Trip started tagging Virus around. The child was smaller than he was at the time, seeing as he was six years younger, but he was agile and fast and that was heavily emphasized in the Rhyme betas. 

“ _You're fighting me again?” Virus spoke rather monotonously. Trip said nothing. He just stood there and stared at the boy he'd been following around. “Is that a good idea?”_

“ _He'll be fine.” Dr Rize smiled. “I've made sure that he's psychologically prepared to take the damage.” It didn't affect Virus at all, though, what Trip could take. He'd be lying if he didn't find the idea of breaking the boy under his hand enjoyable; their first fight together, Virus had destroyed Trip and while there was some guilt—some—he had more of an adrenaline rush when he heard those fake bones snap in his grip. “Alright, ▓ei▓▓ and ▓i▓▓ru. Are you ready to begin the match?”_

_ Trip stared at Virus and it didn't appear as if he had any intention of speaking at all, even when the illusionary battlefield overtook their minds. Virus gazed into his amber eyes, and studied him. Trip didn't move. He only stared, his hands shoved in his pockets like he had no care in the world. Perhaps Virus was selfish, because after a while he got impatient and lunged at him. Trip removed his hands from his pockets and must have pulled out a surprising boost of speed, because he avoid Virus like he was nothing and before Virus could turn to face him again a fist collided with his jaw and he caught himself from smacking his face into the floor. Trip's punch had knocked him to his knees.  _

_ It didn't hurt—or perhaps Virus had tuned down the pain since he knew that this wasn't real—but it did surprise him. This child was just barely over half his size and the speed he already possessed was amazing. “Nice one.” Virus praised, and he could tell, just barely, that Trip beaned a little bit. Now it was Virus's turn to get the one-up on Trip, and he'd swiped his leg under Trip's and the smaller boy fell. “But, you know, Trip.” Virus smirked. “You'll never beat me if you just keep doing those punches. You need to aim to kill.” Trip stood and cracked his knuckles.  _

“ _Yeah.” He murmured and charged at Virus, successfully knocking him on his back. His right knee was ground into Virus's chest and his left was pushed against Virus's right arm. He gripped his arm and twisted it against the knee holding it down, causing Virus to wince in pain. “Do you know what breaking a bone feels like, Virus, when you don't actually break it?” The blond was impressed, these words coming from the mouth of a measly eight year old._

“ _Do it.” Virus whispered and Trip's eyes widened. “Do it. I want to know.” Those amber eyes couldn't have been wider but he obeyed and twisted until he heard the bones crack and Virus immediately regret the decision. He groaned in pain but never let his eyes tear from Trip._

“ _Sorry~” Trip shrugged, his demeanor back to being nonchalant and expressionless. Virus grimaced and it took everything in him to not cry. It wasn't until it was too late that Virus realized what was going on. Trip had seized his neck and raised a fist. “Payback.”_

_ A swift motion of Virus's legs let him kick Trip off of him and gain some ground. Though his arm was virtually broken it didn't stop him from charging the younger boy and planting a fist into his stomach. Trip spluttered but he refused to let the mach end like their last encounter. He would win, he was sure of that.  _

_ The prospectors watched the two boys, completely impressed on how they'd grown in just a few months. Trip was faster and more durable while Virus's self control stayed in check. Trip would throw some punches, dodge, get hit once or twice...Virus, the same thing. In fact, they should have run out of energy a little bit ago but the tension between the two kept them going, even beyond their HP limit. _

_ It wasn't until Trip took advantage of Virus's already damaged arm—aiming for the right side of his body instead of the left—did Virus begin to show weakness. It was fairly easy for Trip to get Virus back to the floor when he caught his right leg and buckled his knee. Virus smirked as Trip towered above him, delivering a few final blows before the match was called off. _

_The data collected was taken to Toue's office and the boys were taken to the clinic for checkup. “Oi, Virus.”_

“ _Yes?”_

“ _Toue is developing these things called Allmates. They're supposed to help you fight in Rhyme so you don't have to hit each other like Ribsteez.”_

“ _Ah.”_

“ _Yeah, Sei-san told me.” Trip spoke as if the battle never happened, and Virus replied as if he'd just ran a marathon._

“ _Did he?”_

“ _We should get one when they come out.”_

“ _Maybe we should.”_

A knock on the office door frame startled Virus awake. “Ya-ho.” Seeing who it was, Virus stretched and yawned though had no shame in being caught sleeping at his desk. 

╟╥╢

_Aoba. Aoba. Aoba. Aoba. Aoba. Aoba. Aoba. I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this. Where are you? Where are you, Aoba? Where are you, Aoba? Where are you, Aoba? I was here when you needed me. I was here when you needed me. I was here when you needed me. I was here when you needed me. I was here when you needed me. I was here when you needed me. I was here when you needed me. Where are you? Where are you? Where are you? Where are you? Where are you? Aoba. Aoba. AOBA. AOBA. AOBA. AOBA._

Those gold eyes were losing their shine the longer this intensive torture dragged on. He knew why the other him was so eager to lose control of the body. This...this was hell. It was terrifying to be here, helpless. Sly never had issues with people. He would speak words and they;d fall. These two, though...they were wise to his tricks. They spent all that time observing him and watching him, and they knew. They knew what he did and they knew how to counteract it. Aoba was, to put it bluntly, helpless. This wasn't a new realization but it was always gut-wrenching to think about. It was even worse when he heard them come through that door. It appeared as if Virus was holding a bag from a restaurant.

“Aoba-san!” Virus cheered, and Aoba's spine tingled. Virus was never quite that chippy so something must have happened, or something must be about to happen. “Trip and I have a surprise for you.” _No._

“Yeah. It'll be good for you.” _Please no._

The two unlocked him from his prison and guided him to the restroom and seated him on the toilet seat. “I promise it'll be worth it. Here, eat this.” Virus handed Aoba the takeout bag and without hesitation he ate it. It could have been poisoned. Aoba didn't care. “Your hair has gotten long, Aoba-san.” He murmured and took one of the strands in his lips. 

“I love his hair.” Trip hummed and rolled a strand through his thumb and forefinger. 

“Yes, I do too but it'll get matted and dirty easier the longer it gets.” Aoba didn't care that they were fussing with his hair, or that the actions they were doing were causing a stir in his groin—and it hadn't appeared that the other two cared either. He ate and ate and ate, hoping they'd just leave him alone for once. Just once, that's all he could wish for. 

“Yeah.”

“And besides, who says a little change is bad?”

“It's not.”

“No, sometimes change can be a good thing. Right, Aoba-san?” Aoba looked over at him but continued to chew. What was this food? It looked and tasted similar to Italian but it had been so long since he'd had takeout food he couldn't really remember. 

Trip reached into one of the bathroom drawers to grab something Aoba couldn't see from this angle. Virus let the hair in his mouth drop and he picked it up again as he took the object from Trip's hands. “Does this hurt, Aoba-san?” Aoba was about to question when he felt a numb feeling beginning to creep up the follicles into his scalp, and he knew what Virus was doing. _No... please, please no..._ “What about here?” The sensation was stronger. It wasn't painful and he hardly felt anything at the ends of his hair but he knew, he knew, these two weren't going to stop just because it might hurt and he became scared. Aoba completely forgot about the food and put all of his focus on the one strand of damp hair between Virus's fingers and how fast the strand was shortening. 

The scissors clipped off a little bit at a time, no more than a half inch each cut but with each half inch that Virus cut sent more and stronger discomfort through Aoba's body. He wouldn't cry out. No, he would not. He let them have everything else. He'd give them his body, his dignity, his freedom, his hair, but they weren't going to get the satisfaction of watching him squirm. It hurt like a bitch. Aoba's face was red from suppressing down those cries that wanted so desperately to escape his throat. He couldn't. He wouldn't. He wouldn't.

“Aaaooobaaa~” Trip gave him that same bloodcurdling smile that he'd always had. “I love you.” Aoba gave him the worst glare he could, though it wasn't much as he winced at the most recent cut Virus made to his hair. The hair reached between his shoulder and jaw and that's when Virus would tell Aoba was reaching his limit. Just a little more would bring out those screams he loved to hear. 

“You're so cute, Aoba-san. Don't ever change.” That was it. The final cut that reached eye-level was the one that broke Aoba. He screamed. He screamed and the shock collar punished him for it. He screamed again when Virus took another small strand and snipped it that length. “Mm, Trip. Maybe we should lower the shock level for this.” They both ignored the fact that Aoba had dropped the food he was eating.

“Yeah.” Trip fussed with the small box on Aoba's collar and the pain he received from it was far less, almost nothing, the next time he screamed. He wanted to rip those scissors from Virus's fingers and shove them into his neck. He would have too, had Trip not gripped his wrists. “Aoba, open your legs.”

As if second nature, Aoba did as he was told and Trip's lips found their way to his length. This did nothing to ebb the pain that he was enduring. Virus was so precise with the scissors, it was scary. Each strand that was no more than a centimeter wide fell to the floor with an almost artistic finesse. Virus ignored Aoba's pleas to stop. Stop, he'd do anything. Please, it hurts too much. Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please. Virus held his casual smile as he snipped even more off of Aoba's head. His face was we with tears. Usually he wouldn't have minded a little abuse as it turned him on, but _fuck_ , there was a limit. 

His entire body trembled once Virus had snipped the last bit of hair off his head. Trip had failed to elicit an orgasm from Aoba but he didn't really care. He wore his dumb-ass smile, the smile that Aoba wished he could wipe off his face. Virus's fingers ran through Aoba's newly trimmed hair and he hissed from the pain. He was still sensitive. “You look nice, Aoba-san. Look.” Aoba didn't want to look. They didn't give him a choice. They pulled him to his feet and had him face the mirror. Aoba had no more tears left to cry. He was absolutely drained, but his chest hurt when he looked at himself. This wasn't him. His hair was slightly shorter than Virus and Trip's, just a ghost of what it used to be.

“I'll go get a broom.” Trip said and left the two alone. Virus rinsed off the scissors and turned back to Aoba. Aoba was so angry. He was just so... so... He lunged at Virus and knocked him to his back. The wind was knocked out of him and Aoba used this opportunity to steal those God-forsaken scissors and they went straight for his own neck. The collar fell to the floor with a clank. Aoba's hand swung down but was stopped by Virus's reflexes gripping the wrist.

Molten gold met synthetic ice as they stared at each other, the tides turning faster than anyone could have thought possible.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending was a bit abrupt because I had to get to work like a responsible garbage-loving adult. I will, though, fix it so it flows a little better when I get off <3 <3


	14. C13H16ClNO

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo I put 17 chapters in as an estimate but it might be more or less. so. No guarantee but yes this will be ending soon. <3

  
  


Virus's eyes morphed instantly from surprise to understanding to sadness. “But Aoba-san.” He spoke calmly and quietly, so quietly, that Aoba had to strain to hear him. “I love you.”

“Shut up!” Aoba gritted his teeth. Those words. He hated them. “Shut up, shut up!” Virus's eyes were fabulous liars. Aoba knew this, and it was demonstrated here, when sadness turned to anger. He was never sad, just angry that Aoba would attempt to try to get free. His strength went mostly into trying to bring those scissors down on Virus's neck but he was weak. He was physically weaker than Virus from the abuse and malnutrition and Aoba couldn't overpower him. “I'm fucking sick of you! Why don't you just shut up and _die?!_ ”

The blond frowned. “Aoba-san.”

“It's f-fucking hilarious, really. I thought you two were attractive people.” He struggled against Virus's grip, though for Virus it wasn't much of a strain at all. “I would have convinced Aoba to fuck you back home if you asked. This...was this necessary?”

“You don't remember what we did to you, do you?” His eyes narrowed into slits and they seemed to gleam with an artificial light. What the fuck were these people?

Aoba shook his head and accepted the fact that he couldn't overpower Virus physically. “No, but I don't care anymore. I'm just tired of seeing your fucking disgusting face.”

Would you like to try again?

Yes or No

_ Yes. _

“ _I'm going to break your mind. And I won't fail this time._ ”

The surroundings looked different than what they were when he'd entered Virus's mind the first time. They were in the Oval Tower but it was dim and dark, not prestigious white like it had been before. He walked down the halls, trying to find this son of a bitch in one of the rooms. The halls seemed to grow longer the further he walked into them but it didn't faze him. He'd find this fucker and destroy him.

This place was huge, He'd never find the end, he thought. Is this how big the Oval Tower looked to a child? It didn't matter. Virus had to be in here somewhere, this was his subconscious.

Every door he opened was the same, dark and vacant. He opened every single one of them. They were all exactly the same. That is, until he finally—after what felt like hours—found a door that was different. It was wooden and homely, like it had belonged to a small house. It looked nothing like an Oval Tower door. He took the handle but it was locked. The more he pushed, hoping it might wedge loose miraculously, the more he got angry. “Open this door you fucking asshole! I know you're in there!”

“Mommy?” The voice...it was the voice of a young child. No doubt it was Virus. Aoba had turned to crashing into the door with his body weight, but it held fast. “Mommy? What are you doing?”

“What are you doing?!” This was an adult man's voice. “Stop!” There was a loud harsh sound—gunfire?—and then a soft thump, like something had fallen. 

“I'm sorry.” He heard a woman's voice whimper. She sounded sad. Aoba crashed into the door once more and it broke, and he fell in. The room was dim but it still felt homey. It was small, but love was present; or, it was. It seemed to be leaking out of the room slowly and being replaced with coldness and malice. Aoba was thoroughly shocked by what he saw; a small boy—Virus—had his back to Aoba and faced a woman with slate-gray eyes and blond hair. Was this his mother? The floor's beige carpet was stained with a red fluid that was trickling from the chest of a man—his father, perhaps—who was face down on the floor.

The small boy trembled and stared at his mother. He couldn't have been older than five. “M-mommy?” The woman's face was wet from tears and she held something in her hand. Aoba squinted and saw that it was a gun. This must have been the source of the gunfire Aoba heard outside the door.

“I'm so sorry. Mommy loves you,” she raised the gun to her own head and with a shaky smile, she whispered. 

Aoba's eyes widened as this woman spoke a name Aoba was not familiar with; but it was Virus's. Virus's name fell from her lips and she pulled the trigger, leaving the small boy—and Aoba himself—shaking and in shock. Little Virus seemed to have aged quite a bit, being roughly the age he was when Aoba met him. What was that? Twenty-five? Twenty-six? He turned slowly to face Aoba, his face covered in blood and his eyes ghostly and dead. 

Aoba took a step towards him and scowled. “Don't give me that look, you fucking disgusting piece of garbage.”

“What was the worst thing you've ever done?”

Aoba raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“What is the worst thing you've ever done? Something you wish you could take back?”

“Why are you talking to me like this? You're a piece of trash and I hope your brain rots.” Virus's eyes were still blank as ever. He stood there like he'd just committed an unspeakable, his hand raising in front of him. His index and middle fingers were pointed outward. 

“Bang.” It was only a whisper but it sent chills down Aoba's spine. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a person, a child, collapsing to the ground where Virus had been pointing. “Bang. Bang.”

Aoba snarled. “You killed a child?”

Virus stared. “Merely a test subject gone wrong. But he suffered. I didn't shoot him right.”

“You're a sick fuck, you know that?”

“I... I love you, Aoba.”

His gold eyes turned into little slits. “You're so fucked up.”

Virus frowned. “I love you, Aoba.” 

“Shut up, you shit.”

Virus wrapped his arms around Aoba and nuzzled his neck. “I love you, Aoba.”

He struggled to get the man off of him. “Get off me!”

“I love you, Aoba-san.” Virus laughed and bit down on his shoulder. Aoba tried to recoil but Virus's grip held fast. Blood oozed from the bite and it felt like the flesh was being torn away from him. Was Virus... eating him? Aoba wasn't sure how he would get out of this one. It's not like he had to ever tell someone to _stop eating him_ for goodness sake. Virus grinned up at him with the wily blue yes and a wide bloody smile. 

The blood from his mouth dribbled down his chin, his neck, onto that terrible black and green sweater he wore and the white undershirt beneath, down the entire front to the floor. “Aoba-san. I love you. I love you, my darling. My Aoba. Aoba, all mine. All mine. We'll wipe your memory again. I'll make you forget Midorijima and you'll stay with us forever and ever, my darling. My love.” Virus planted a bloody sloppy kiss on Aoba's lips. He let him kiss him and stared straight into those disgusting eyes once he was done.

“Shut up, _Minoru._ ”

Virus's face dropped and he stared straight through Aoba. “What...what did you say?”

Aoba smirked. “You heard me, _Minoru._ ”

╬╪╬

Aoba gasped as he was pulled up roughly by his hair, his surroundings blurry until he blinked and the scene was cleared before him. Virus was still on the bathroom floor but he was awake. His eyes were wide and his breathing was heavy, and Trip nudged him with his foot. “Oi.” Virus's eyes shifted to Trip's. “The fuck?” 

Virus hoisted himself to his feet and after straightening his jacket out, his fist collided with Aoba's jaw. Aoba groaned and fell to the floor when Trip released the grip on his hair. The pain pulsed in his jaw and he could taste the metallic of his own blood on his tongue. Virus loomed over him for a while, debating what to do. Aoba weighed his own options; grovel, like he was used to doing, or make a run for it. Before Aoba even had the chance to scramble to his feet Virus unleashed his fury, beating him almost mercilessly. While Aoba was sure—he hoped—Virus wouldn't have let him die, he had been relentless; enough for Trip to intervene and pull Virus off of him.

“Virus” Trip murmured. “That's enough. You'll kill him.” Aoba, barely conscious, gave Virus one last defiant smirk before Trip hoisted him up and carried him out of the bathroom. 

_Damn, I fucked up. Again._ Aoba laughed to himself. _I'm a dead man._

Trip had chained Aoba to the floor while the two blonds made an attempt to discuss his punishment. It would need to be harsh. Well, it felt like Trip was doing most of the brainstorming while Virus sat on the foot of Trip's bed, listening to the deep baritone voice hit his eardrums. It was funny, when Virus met Trip, Trip could have been completely mistaken for a little girl if no one outwardly knew what his gender was and now his voice was deeper than Virus's. He smiled lightly to himself, wondering how Trip would look as a female. Trip had hung his vest on a hanger and began to unbutton his shirt.

“Virus.” Trip frowned. “You're quiet.”

“Mm.” 

“Why? You're acting strange.”

Virus trailed his eyes slowly up the front of the other, taking in what he could. His hands shook and gripped the comforter as if it could give him any semblance of relief. “I'm fine. Trip, do you remember my name?”

“No.” Trip eyes him cautiously. He hardly ever questioned his elder but he was on edge from his strange behavior.

Virus inhaled, eyes still fixated on the man's topless torso. “I want...”

There was nearly a solid thirty seconds where Virus didn't speak at all and Trip raised his eyebrow. “What?”

“I want...you to dominate me.” The younger man froze where he stood and gaped at Virus. Was... was he serious? He couldn't be serious. No, nononono this wasn't...what? 

Trip blinked a few times. Perhaps this was a nightmare? Or a really fucked up dream? Not once in their years of acquaintanceship had he heard Virus say these words. It was always Virus dominating or no one. His way or the highway and to be honest, Trip had no idea how to process this.

“I want you to overpower me.” Virus's voice lowered and his eyes were half lidded gazing at Trip with a gleam of sheer lust.

After a moment Trip scoffed. “Nope.” Virus's demeanor changed immediately, growing visibly irritated. 

“Trip. Dominate me. Fuck me.”

“Nope.”

“Trip!”

“Nope.”

Virus trembled. It had been a long while since he'd heard the word 'nope' come to him so seriously. He'd always gotten what he wanted. Always. He didn't know what to do. As if he was acting a child, he let out an over-exaggerated sigh and glared at him. “Fuck me, Trip.”

“Nope.”

“I'm not giving you an option.”

Trip hung his shirt on a hanger and hooked it in the closet by the vest. “Nope.”

What would Aoba be doing right now? He got on his knees and—begrudgingly—crawled over to Trip and pawed at his pant legs. “Trip, dominate me.” Virus breathed and his hands trailed up Trip's right leg and his right hand rubbed between Trip's legs. “I'll do anything you want. I'll be completely submissive for the remainder of the night. I'll do anything, please.  Take me.  Wreck me.  Destroy me.”

Trip's eyes narrowed into little slits as he stared down at his elder, unaffected by the desperate actions. “Why?”

Virus blinked up at him over the frames of his glasses and stated very matter-of-factly, “I want to know what it feels like.” Trip exhaled and shook him off his leg. Virus whined in protest but Trip's fingers gripped his jaw tightly, so tight Virus thought it might bruise, and forced him to meet his gaze.

“Then I want something in return.” 

 


	15. CH3CH2OH

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im so sorry it took so long. My computer crapped out and it took a little while for me to be able to get a replacement <3 <3

What was Trip talking about. He wanted something? Seriously? Virus knitted his brows together and began to mumble in protest but the fingers around his jaw clenched even harder and their foreheads collided with enough force to silence Virus, though it appeared to have completely unfazed Trip. His eyes pierced through Virus, cold, with a voice to match. “I want Aoba to myself for a month.” What? Hell no. _Hell_ no. Trip must have sensed Virus's disgruntlement because the corners of his lips began to curve upward. “That's my only offer.” Trip hummed and released Virus's jaw and stood. Virus stood as well, dusting his suit lightly.

“I don't suppose I could persuade you in another direction?” Virus asked, his face slightly somber.

“That's my only offer, and if you don't take it, you'll be stuck in a lifetime of wonder.” His fists unexpectedly balled in Virus's shirt and swung him rough against the wall, the man's head smacking against it. Virus's small grunt was punctuated by Trip pinning Virus with his body. His lip's ghosted over Virus's ear. “Wonder of how I feel, how I operate. What it's like to be beneath me, to feel me against you.” The words, his breath against Virus's neck, caused Virus to violently shiver. “To be completely at my mercy. To suffer at my hand just to hold it tightly when I free you from your pain. You'll never know.”

Virus was at his breaking point. The words Trip was speaking wasn't something Virus thought would come from him, as quiet as he was most of the time. He knew he wanted this, just once. Just once, and he knew that the trade was a completely unfair one. Just once. Even now, as Trip was pressed against him powerfully, Virus could feel the excitement and anticipation from Trip's words alone. Right now, in this very moment, he would trade Aoba. He'd trade anything, his own body, his soul, his very name, for this; just once. His lips parted, dry as they were, and he spoke.

“Alright.”

Almost instantly, Trip's hands released the shirt and pulled Virus's lips in for a rough sloppy coitus, teeth clanking and tongues melding and it was almost sinful. It wasn't as if Virus and Trip hadn't kissed before. Young as they were in Toue's facilities, they'd practiced. Even during drunk nights when all they had were each other. But this was different. This kiss was ferocious, and violent, and dangerous. It was _exciting_. Virus couldn't help but let out a moan at all the ferocity in the kiss and his hands came up to pull Trip in closer.

Their lips separated, finally, and the two's heavy pants drowned out anything else. “Strip.” Trip commanded and chills went up Virus's spine. “Now.” Their artificial eyes locked and Virus nodded and began loosening his tie. “Leave the tie.” Trip growled, and Virus obeyed, much to Trip's surprise. He completely bypassed the tie and unbuttoned his shirt. He tossed it haphazardly across the room and didn't take any action in providing Trip with a show. His socks and pants were next and his boxers followed shortly after. Trip eyed over Virus's body.

Virus had no reason to hide his body. It was something Trip had seen already, so there were no secrets; though he'd have to admit, he never liked being under the microscope, and grew agitated the longer Trip scanned him over. The skin still held small remnants of he and Aoba's morphine high, the bite marks to be specific, but they were mostly faded. They would have been under the radar if there weren't so many of them. “Hm.” Trip hummed after a long, dragged out moment.

“What do you want me to do?” Virus asked, his throat was dry and he'd realized he hadn't swallowed in far too long.

“Suck me.” Trip replied. His voice lacked filter and shame and his eyes matched the lewdness as they watched Virus drop to his knees and fuss with Trip's pants. Once the belt was off, the rest was easy sailing, a quick unbutton and unzip was all that separated Trip from Virus, and he pulled his pants and boxers down in one fell swoop.

Virus had seen Trip's genitals before, and Trip had seen Virus's, though touching it wasn't necessarily on Virus's Bucket List. Trip was also bigger than Virus; which, while Virus wasn't insecure about his girth, it was never fun to discover that your younger was larger than you. “Hurry up.” Trip growled. He took the organ in his hand and gave it a few test strokes before bringing the tip against his lips. He made sure to give Trip complete eye contact as his tongue flicked out between his lips and slid across the tip before his lips wrapped around it. Trip's face remained unchanged, even as Virus slid him further into his mouth.

“How far can you take it?” Trip questioned.

“How far should I take it?” Virus replied after he popped off the length.

Trip's eyes gleamed. “Open.” The other complied and opened his mouth wide and Trip found his way back inside, his fists gripping the roots of Virus's hair and pulling him closer, closer, closer, until Virus's reflexes tried rejecting him, and he gagged. Trip gave his elder a moment to regain himself before repeating the action, being far less kind when Virus gagged the second time. He didn't pull away. He slid in further until Virus was unable to breathe and Virus clenched his eyelids shut as he concentrated on the situation entirely. “Look at me when you choke.” Trip grunted and pulled roughly at Virus's hair.

His eyes snapped open and he stared up at the younger man towering above him. Trip's eyes were ferocious and deadly, and it was so surreal; it was exciting. Virus's nails dug into Trip's hips the longer he was not allowed to breathe, but damn, if being dominated began with this, he was so eager to see what else Trip had in store.

Finally, as Virus's vision began to sparkle a little from lack of oxygen, Trip pushed him away and air flew into his lungs, which he accepted wholeheartedly. His eyes pricked with tears but he wasn't upset in the least.

“Stand up and get on the bed.” Virus nodded and did as he was told and he laid back in the bed with his legs spread, at Trip's command. “From this point on, I will do what I want, how I want, when I want. There's no safe word. I won't stop. I will _destroy_ you. If you want out, you say so right now.” Trip's words held warning in them, but Virus never played it safe. He curled his lips upward into a smile.

“Take me. I want to savor it.” Those must have been the magic words because Trip stood beside the bed and his lips soon locked with Virus's again, vigorous and fiery, and his hands slid up Virus's legs. His fingers pressed against Virus's entrance and caused him to squirm. Virus had never been on the receiving end, and he'd be lying if this didn't make him nervous. He must have been outwardly nervous because Trip chuckled and bit down on his neck _hard_ , and Trip tasted the metallic taste of blood.

“Scared?”

Virus groaned. “Shut up.”

“Do you think it's appropriate to talk to me like that?” Trip hummed and pressed his finger inside. Virus gasped and instinctively tried recoiling. “You're at my complete mercy.”

“It's strange.”

“Yeah.” Trip curled his finger and Virus squirmed even more. Virus's breathing slowly became ragged and he felt in his groin that familiar heat. “Oi. You should be jerking me off right now.” Trip's free hand took Virus's and guided it to his length. Trip gave in to the pleasure and let his hums and moans sound free to what Virus was doing to him.

Virus huffed, rouge spreading to his cheeks as Trip's finger moved within him. He wondered if this is how Aoba felt all the time, so good and so completely submissive. He was going to miss Aoba, but this...this was worth the trade. And suddenly, it was gone. He whined in protest but his jaw was gripped roughly before he could speak. “Sometimes, being your bitch is aggravating. I hope that this will alleviate some of my pent up tension. I hope your prepared to pay the price for how you treat me.” Virus's eyes widened. “Flip over and get on your hands and knees.”

Once Virus had gotten into position, Trip took the front of Virus's tie and positioned himself behind him. “Trip, just make it fast.”

“I thought you wanted to savor it?” Trip let out a chortle and pulled on the tie lightly, warning Virus of what he intended to do with it. “Weren't those your words?”

“I want...” he swallowed his pride and the slight anxiousness of what was about to come, “I want you to do what you feel best for the situation. I want you to show me what it's like to be submissive. Just once.”

Trip didn't say anything for a while, making Virus feel more antsy than he already was. He almost turned around to see what was the matter when Trip, without warning, thrust completely inside, and Virus screamed. It hurt so _fucking_ badly. Trip had hardly prepared him, as if his little one finger move could be considered preparing. “What the fuck?” Virus snapped and shot him a stinging glare.

“Shut up.” Trip groaned and slid two fingers into Virus's mouth as he thrust again. Groans spilled from Virus's lips every time Trip moved inside him, breaking his composure and filling him with so much pain. Trip shut his eyes and listened to the whines coming from the man beneath him and he _loved_ it. He loved causing pain. He loved every moment of it. He especially loved the power, even from this one small action, he loved overpowering his superior.

Virus's length throbbed between his legs and his hand reached under to grab it, until the tie tightened around his neck warning him to stop and a sharp bite to his shoulder blade told him to not try it again. The tie pulled tighter and Trip thrust harder and Virus had to brace against the headboard to keep himself from hitting his head. God, it hurt so bad. But it hurt so good, it felt good, and Virus wanted more. He wanted all of it, even if it wasn't Trip giving it to him.

“God, Virus, you're so warm.” Trip moaned and pushed in deeper. He pushed Virus's front into the bed and his fingers pressed so hard, Virus was sure it'd bruise. He wanted it to bruise.

“M-Minoru.” Trip raised an eyebrow, though Virus had no real way of seeing it, his face was pressed into the pillow and his arms folded above his head. “My name is Minoru.”

Trip stopped moving altogether, leaving Virus to become painfully aware of his own neglected hard-on. In fact, Virus had been left wondering if he'd said something wrong, because Trip had remained silent and motionless for well over a minute; until Trip took the tie and pulled it hard, and thrust hard enough to knock Virus's skull against the headboard. Virus gasped at the sensation before he began to beg. “Please, I hurt. Touch me, Trip. Please.”

Trip ignored him. His hand that was on his back gripped his hips tightly, painfully, and thrust until Virus was sure he'd tear, until Trip grunted loudly and Virus felt the sensation. Trip had released inside him and pulled out, the warm yet disgusting fluid oozing down his thighs. “Trip?”

“Finish yourself off.” Trip flopped on the bed and turned his back to his elder, eyes low and somewhat melancholic. He almost was able to drown out Virus's rough pants as he finished Trip's work for him.

_Minoru._

 


	16. C19H16O4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longer than the other chapters. Of course, in my tags I mentioned I wanted to rewrite this, with them being in character more. (SOmetimes I realized I slipped into a bit of oocness so.....yeah.)

_I need to get out of here. I need to get out of here. I need to get out of here. I need to get out of here. I need to get out of here. I need to get out of here. I need to run before I die. I'm doing to die. I'm doing to die. I'm doing to die. I'm doing to die. I'm doing to die. I'm doing to die. I'm doing to die. I'm doing to die. I'm doing to die. I'm doing to die. I'm doing to die. I'm doing to die. I'm doing to die. Aoba, where are you? Aoba? Aoba? AOBA? AOBA AOBA AOBA AOBA AOBA AOBA!_

Aoba was startled out of his monotonous sounds as a hand stroked his hair. He screamed and immediately started to sob. “I don't want to die! Please! Please I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die!”

“Aaaoba.” Trip murmured, he was sure with that dumb smirk on his face. “You're not going to die. I'm here.” He picked up Aoba's lithe frame the best he could and just held him; but Aoba wanted none of that. He pushed and pulled and wriggled against Trip's grasp and even went so far as to bite down hard on his arm; but like a cruel joke, Trip wasn't deterred at all. “Aoba. Please relax. I won't hurt you.”

As he stared up, defiant and simultaneously terrified, Aoba's body shook. Trip stroked the side of his face, the crusted blood and bruises that were remnant of Virus's assault the night prior. He tsked. “Does it hurt, Aoba?”

“Mmm, I certainly did a number on him, didn't I?” Aoba gasped and nearly instinctively curled into Trip when he heard Virus's voice reverberated through the kitchen.

“Yeah.”

Virus crouched down beside Aoba and Trip. “Darling, I went to far.” His hand slid up Aob's leg, up his back to rest on the nape of his neck. “I don't consider myself to be a violent person. Aoba-san. I sincerely apologize.”

“No.” Aoba whimpered, muffled due to his face being hidden against Trip's chest. “No.”

Trip's eyes went cold and he glared at his elder. “I don't think you're supposed to be touching him.” Virus, whose face had been soft just a moment ago, grew visibly and unquestionably irritated, like a child on the verge of a tantrum. Why, Aoba wondered, why wasn't Virus allowed to touch Aoba? The warmth on Aoba's neck faded and Virus seemed to have stormed off to leave him and Trip alone. “Aoba. Are you hungr--”

“No.” He spluttered out. “No I'm not.” With Virus out of the room, he'd be damned if he'd get fed by Trip. At least Virus had some limit to how much he'd let Aoba take in at one time.

“Are you sure?”

“I-I'm not hungry.”

Trip tilted Aoba's head to get a better look at his face. His gold eyes were losing their luster, and he could have mistaken him for post-accident Aoba had Trip not known better. His right eye was lightly swollen, his nose and mouth caked with blood. The right side of his face was covered in purple and black bruises, and from what he way, it was tender to touch. He placed Aoba back on the floor. While he disappeared from Aoba's peripherals, he could only assume Trip was running water and his suspicions were confirmed when a warm towel was pressed against his cheek.

“You're so pretty, Aoba. Even like this.” Trip hummed, wiping roughly at the dried blood.

Aoba's hope, as brightly as it had burned just days prior, dimmed to nearly nothing. “Trip.” His voice was weak, hoarse, and almost sickly.

“Yeah?”

“Why do you two do this to me?”

“We love you, Aoba.”

Aoba inhaled slowly. “But why? I could have been invested with you in Midorijima. Why did you kidnap me? Torture me?”

Trip sighed and examined the cleaned skin. “We wanted to keep you for ourselves only.”

“Why? Why do you have this obsession with me?”

Silence filled the room. Aoba was certain this was the end of the conversation, until he heard Trip take in a deep breath. “You are very much like Virus and myself. Or, that's the part of you Virus and I fell in love with.”

Aoba grimaced, so clearly insulted by Trip's answer. “I'm nothing like you.” Trip chuckled.

“You say that but you forgot a lot. Virus and I are products of Toue, like you are. We all excel at Rhyme. That's not something an average person can say. It takes a unique mind to master the game. A sinister mind, really. Had Virus and I left you be, you would have turned out just like us.”

“Doubt it.”

“You are very much a combination of Virus and I. A deadly combination of us both born in a test tube. Your brother, before falling ill, was the same up until his heart began to give out. He was useless after that. And then we found you. You were so full of life, so full of malice, much more than Sei could ever hold, and we fell in love instantly.”

Aoba blinked, but said nothing. He just shut his eyes, his only defense mechanism against his situation. Maybe if he closed his eyes enough he'd wake up back in Tae's house, snuggled up to Ren.

Ren.

“We love you Aoba. I wish you'd understand that.”

╪╫╪

As his fingertips tapped at the keyboard in front of him, Virus heard a separate tap on his office door. “Yes.” He called, not bothering to look away from the desktop monitor. The door squeaked open—damn, it needed oiling but he was just too lazy to request that. He peered over the tops of his glasses, the monitor shining reflective in the lenses themselves, at the man who entered the room. “What do you want?”

Trip leaned against the door frame. “Nothing. Just wanted to stop by.”

“Why?” Trip shrugged in reply, but shut the door behind him as he stepped in the room further. Virus huffed and returned to his project on the computer, though his attention to it ceased as Trip's shadow loomed over him. “What?”

“How do you remember your name?” Trip asked.

“How?”

“Yeah.”

Virus leaned back into the chair and closed his eyes, his hands folding and resting on the desk. “I'm not sure. I just kind of...remembered it.”

“Did Aoba have anything to do with it?”

“Possibly. Perhaps when he Scrapped me, he unearthed a rather unfortunate repressed memory, and the secret was dug up with that. Who knows, though, it's all a blur to me now.” His eyes opened again and he gazed at Trip without emotion. “I kept telling myself my parents hated me, they abandoned me. It's funny because, in a sick, morbid sense I was right. Mother abandoned me because she couldn't live herself. Father left me because mother didn't give him a choice.”

Trip blinked slowly, and inhaled. “I think I'd rather keep forgetting how I came to be.”

“Yes, I understand. I wish I could give this memory back. You're lucky Aoba hasn't tried prying himself into your deepest memories yet. Keep it that way.” His fingers resumed their work on the keyboard and Trip took a seat in the chair in front of the desk.

“You look well for someone whose trauma was just brought to the surface.” Trip noted, though he didn't sound like he cared nor didn't care.

“I'm fine, actually. I have no outward emotions toward the situation; none that would help me in any way, at least. Sometimes the best reaction to the situation is to just simply... ignore it.”

Trip leaned back into the chair and listened to Virus tap the keys. Strange. He'd almost begun to miss the sounds of monitors and machines, the sounds of his childhood. They were all replaced with keyboard clicks and the noise of the busy streets. He hated the busy street noises. He hated people and people were the primary cause of the sounds. Sometimes, he'd wish that he'd be back in the laboratory, getting blood work done and scans of his brain rather than live in the world where it was just him. Just him and Virus and no one else; because how could any of these freaks understand them, what they've been through? They couldn't. He couldn't even remember his own name, what made him fit for the outside world, anyway?

“You're troubled.” Virus murmured. His eyes never left the monitor and yet he could still tell, a trait that bothered Trip but not enough to affect him.

“No. Just thinking.” He tapped his foot against the floor with his eyes glued to the blond across from him. “Do you want me to start calling you Minoru?”

The tapping paused for a second before resuming. “Not necessary. It's been so long since I've been called that, I doubt I'd respond to it. Feel free to just keep calling me Virus.”

“Yeah.”

“Don't you have work to do?”

“Nah. Finished it.”

Virus hummed. “Alright. Then what are you doing here? You can leave early if you want to.”

“Waiting for you to be done.”

“I can walk home. It's fine. I'll be at least another forty-five minutes.”

Trip shrugged. “I'll wait.”

Virus peered over at him. He could be such an annoyance at times but it wasn't all bad. At least Virus had someone to talk to while he finished his own work. “Trip, were you able to send that e-mail to the accounting director?”

“Yeah.”

“Excellent. I suppose then I'll only be about a half an hour.”

The two sat in almost near silence for the first ten to fifteen minutes. The only clock in the room was faced toward Virus so Trip had no for sure way of telling how much time had passed. His eyes lingered around the room, then to Virus, to his neck. The collar of his shirt hid the bite mark on his shoulder but Trip knew it was still there, lingering, waiting to be bitten open again. Trip gulped. “How's your shoulder?”

“Fine.”

“How close are you to being finished?”

“I don't know. Five minutes maybe?” Virus gave him a questioning look. “Why are you so impatient?”

Trip tsked, stood, and waited those five long, painful minutes for Virus to stand and the two walked out the office, down the elevator, through the front doors, and out onto the quiet streets. The two opted to walk that morning, the weather had been nice and their office wasn't more than a mile away. The sun had set, but the sky was just barely holding on to the sky. “Oi. In here.” Trip murmured as he headed into a vacant alley.

“Why this way?”

“Shortcut.” Replied Trip, but he stopped suddenly.

Virus gazed back to his companion. “W-what are you...?” Trip's fists clenched in Virus's collar and flung him against the wall loudly, which made a gasp erupt from Virus's lips. His fingers wrapped tightly—too tight—around Virus's throat and he whispered.

“I didn't break you properly last night. I want to do it again.”

Virus shot daggers at him. “No.” His acquaintance, however, simply smirked and tossed him to the floor and pinned him to the ground with his foot. Virus gritted his teeth, the pain from Trip's heel digging into his chest was obviously less than desirable. It was rather uncomfortable. “Get off.”

“Nope. My work isn't done.” He crouched, still pinning the man below him, and stroked his face softly. “I want to hear you begging me to stop. I want your skin red and purple.”

Virus's heart skipped a beat, though it wasn't from excitement, but fear. “Why?”

Trip grinned. “I enjoyed the short power trip last night and I want to do it again.”

“I'll need some incentive. Cut Aoba's sentence with you in half.”

The heel in Virus's chest dug deeper, but Trip chuckled nonetheless. “Nah.”

“What do you mean, 'nah?'”

“Nah.” His vague reply echoed deeply through the walls of the alley, and his hands fussed with Virus's belt buckle.

┼╬┼

The ground was cold beneath Virus, or was it himself who was cold? Hell, it didn't really matter now, though. He peeled himself off the rough concrete beneath him, only to find that it was excruciating to do. His body was sore. It hurt so bad to move, to swallow, to just...breathe. “Trip.” His voice was hoarse, barely anything above a whisper, but no reply was given. “Trip.” He blinked, but the world was fuzzy. His glasses? Where were they? Fuck. “Fuck.” He managed to hoist himself up and redress to the best of his abilities, and he trudged back out of the alleyway and rested against the corner for a moment while he gained his consciousness.

God, where was Trip? He did a number on him, Virus was shaky, sticky, and just exhausted. “Are... are you alright?” He heard a voice, a familiar small voice.

“H-Hide?”

“Yeah? You're the man from my bar last week aren't you?”

Virus smiled weakly. “Yes.”

“God, you look like shit. Are you far from home?”

“About a mile away.”

Hide shook her head and took his arm, causing him to wince in pain. “My apartment is just a block away. Let's go get you cleaned up first.”

Hide's home was small, on the first floor so it wasn't a struggle for Virus to get there. It wasn't much, a couch and table in the living room, connecting to a dining room and a small room further inside. “The bathroom is in my room, first door on the right.”

“Thank you very much for your hospitality.” Virus smiled and made his way through to the restroom. He cringed when he saw himself. He looked just about as bad as he felt. His face was covered in dirt and grime and blood. Underneath his short, he was covered in deep, possibly scarring bites and scrapes from the concrete. He was bruised and cut, just like Trip had said he'd be. There was a mark across his neck that was hardly noticeable but that was probably the reason he'd gone unconscious in the first place. His head pounded. Fuck, he was in shit condition, if he'd say so himself.

Hide entered the restroom shortly after with a wash cloth and a towel folded neatly. She also carried a large t-shirt and some mens sweat pants, something Virus wouldn't be caught dead in should the circumstances had allowed. “Where's your boyfriend?” She asked, turning the tub on and allowing the water to fill.

“He's at home. With Trip.”

“Oh so you are fond for men. I assumed that this Trip fellow was your boyfriend, to be honest.”

Virus smirked. “I don't have a real preference for gender. But yes, I'm currently in a relationship... of sorts.”

“ _Of sorts._ ”

“It's hard to explain.”

Hide chuckled. “Well it's whatever you like. I don't judge. What happened to you anyway?”

Virus sighed and sat in the toilet seat and waited for the tub to fill. "Just a bad rendezvous is all.”

“Should we go to the police?”

“No!” He snapped, probably too harshly. “N-no, it's fine, I promise you.” Hide blinked as she turned the water faucet off.

“Alright. Well, I'll just... leave you here to wash up. Use whatever soaps or shampoos you want.” She left and shut the door behind her. Virus stripped completely and lowered himself into the water. It wasn't as warm as he would have liked but he couldn't complain. She was being so comforting to him, someone who'd just gotten probably the worst experience of his life. Still, he had to wonder where Trip had gone? Home? Probably, to be with his precious, darling, Aoba. Whatever happened, whatever Trip was doing, Virus was here now, washing off the scum of the night. Hide was a kind girl. So kind, so nice, so beautiful. Hide was so beautiful...

After his bath, Virus headed into Hide's living room in the outfit she'd set out for him. She sat on her couch, a book in hand, and hadn't noticed Virus, yet anyway. “That's an excellent book.” Virus noted. Hide jumped, a bit startled by the sudden voice in the silence. “I read it a little while ago.”

“Yeah, it's one of my favorites. This is my third time reading it.”

Virus sat beside her, closer than a lot of people would have been comfortable with. “I wanted to say thank you very much. Your kindness means so much more than you could ever know.”

She smiled and set the book aside. “I do what I can. Do you want to go home tonight or stay until morning?”

“If it's alright with you, I'd prefer to wait until morning.”

“Of course! Just make yourself at home, alright? You can even sleep in the bed if you'd like.”

Virus smirked, giving Hide a side glance. “You know. It's funny, really. You'd expect a lot of females to be wary of who they let in their homes, especially when they're home alone.”

“What...?”

Hide suddenly was pinned to the arm of the couch. “You should always be careful when you let a man into your home, Hide-san.”

 


	17. CHCl3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw rape, as you all know.
> 
> Not exactly what I wanted, just something that poured out, yknow??

Hide trembled beneath the man pinning her down. His breath tickled her cheek and his hands dug into her arms roughly, and she was scared. No. Nononono, not this...no please, no. No no no nononono... Then Virus laughed and punctuated it with a small peck on the woman's cheek. “God, Hide-san. I'm sorry. I would never dream of doing such things to you.” Virus backed off Hide and stood. “Though, I suppose that doesn't make much of a first impression does it?”

Her breathing was ragged from the adrenaline rush. “I-I, uhm. W-what?”

“Should I see myself out, then? I can return the clothing to your place of employment.”

Hide chuckled out of nervousness, silently estimating the amount of time it would take to reach her cutlery set. “Yes please.” Virus nodded and returned to Hide's room to gather his clothing.

“I hope to see you very soon, Hide-san.”

She waved goodbye, only to promptly lock the door with a sigh once he left. Hide tapped through her contacts on her Coil before selecting one and allowing it to ring. “Hello, Uncle? Are you busy?”

The walk home took longer than it usually did,Virus's muscles were sore, and his wounds were still raw. He wouldn't have been able to force Hide even if he'd wanted to, he was in so much pain. He was going to have a few words with his younger companion once he got home, that was for damn sure.

His fingers gripped the door knob and turned, entering the dimly lit home to see Trip on the couch and Aoba sitting on the floor beside him, with Welter and Hersha resting to Aoba's side. It hadn't seemed like Aoba had been touched yet but his face was monotonous, like he was anticipating something.--his face was bruised and slightly swollen, yet Virus didn't give his condition a passing glance. Trip turned towards the door and the blond man standing beside it. “Hi.”

Virus huffed. “ _'Hi'_? That's all you have to say? _'Hi'_?”

“What else do I say?”

“Oh, I don't know. _'Sorry'_ , maybe.” The door slammed loudly behind him, loud enough for Aoba to flinch.

Trip raised an eyebrow. “For what?”

Virus's usual cool demeanor broke. He threw his bundled clothing to the floor. “YOU LEFT ME! Alone! How did you know I was even still alive?”

“I checked.”

“And you...you just... LEFT ME?”

“I don't understand why you're upset.”

Virus laughed though he was far from amused, his blood boiling past the exploding point but still managing to regain control of his noise level. “You have no idea how other people work.”

“Neither do you.”

Aoba watched silently as the two bickered back and forth, his mind weakening as the seconds ticked on. His attention shifted constantly between the two as they argued, but also to the two Allmates who had been silent the entire time. They, too, were watching their masters, Hersha with slightly more care than Welter. That was understandable, Trip was larger and stronger than Virus was so his Allmate didn't have much to worry about.

Like an old married, couple, hm?

Aoba jumped.

 _You decide to show yourself now? After what I've been through?_ It's not like you were around that entire year. _And yet you had no problem throwing me into that exact situation! You claim to call yourself a good person and yet you let me go through hell?_ You never came to my rescue. _I never claimed to be a good person!_ I try escaping. But I always feel it, hear it... I don't want to go through it anymore. We need to escape. _Thank you, Captain Obvious. I had no idea._ Is the sarcasm necessary? _Thank you for telling me my objective._ Stop it. _Now I can be free with those simple words. You're a Grade-A problem solver._ Shut up! _You shut up. You're a coward! A joke. Had you just accepted me, I could have gotten us out of this before it started, but now we're in too deep! Because you're a fucking coward!_ Who the hell do you think you are? How am I the coward when you hid for a fucking year! _You never called out to me!_ You didn't give two shits before you were shoved to the front and now suddenly it's 'lets get out of here, Aoba! We need to leave, Aoba!' But you were perfectly fine feeding me to the wolves so you didn't have to do dirty work! You're just like them! _Don't...!_ Just like Virus and Trip!

“Shut the fuck up!” Aoba screeched. The two other men paused their conversation and eyed warily at him. Aoba trembled, his chest heaved, and that put the Allmates on guard more than they were. “I'm... I'm not like them. I'm not like you. I'm not like you!” His aggression, with no other physical Aoba to direct it toward, went to the blonds. “I am not like you!”

“Aoba-san, please stop yelling.” Virus hummed, his words were soft, which only added to Aoba's anger.

“Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! I am not like you! I am not like you! I am not like you! I am not like you! I am not like you!”

Trip raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Their eyes peered almost into Aoba's soul, chilling him to the bone. “Aoba-san?”

“Stop it! Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop!”

“Stop what?” Trip murmured. He was having a difficult time trying to figure this out, trying to read Aoba's wide manic eyes as they seemed to stare straight _through_ him.

“He appears to be having an anxiety attack.” Virus noted. “I suppose this is the part where we try to reassure him. But, technically I'm not allowed to touch him so good luck with that, Trip-san.”

Trip's therapy wasn't exactly orthodox. His fingers managed to stifle Aoba's cries as they slid their way between his teeth, remaining there regardless of how hard Aoba bit down. The other hand was gripped tightly around Aoba's waist. “What's wrong, Aaaoooba?” Trip's lips curled into that nauseating grin as it usually did. “You don't feel good?”

Aoba's groans echoed through the room. He squirmed against the lion that penetrated him while Trip sat there and soaked in the view. “Alright, Welter. That's enough. Get out.” And just like that, just like fucking that, Welter removed his claw and jumped off the bed, exiting the room, much to the Allmate's dismay.

_Disgusting creatures..._

“Aoba, are you alright?” He asked as he removed his fingers from Aoba's mouth. The skin was dripping red, bleeding from the bites Aoba's given him, but he seemed to be unfazed. “Aoba, can I be honest with you?”

_Why are you asking? That's never stopped you before._

“I cheated on you. With Virus. I'm so sorry.”

_You sick fucks deserve each other._

“Can I make it up to you?”

_Let me go home._

Trip grinned and took a lock of Aoba's hair in his fingers and fussed with it, causing Aoba to inhale sharply. “Still don't like it?” Aoba's eyes scrunched shut, but he could still feel it. “It's ok, I don't care for my natural hair either. I guess we're almost the same?” He felt the hair run through Trip's fingers, he felt Trip adjust on the bed, he felt his body weight begin to press down on him, teeth beginning to cruch down on the same hair strands that had moments before been played with, and Aoba screamed. _N-no. No more, please, please please no..._

“We're the same in... eh, in other ways, too, Aoba. Do you want to know how?”

“No!”

Aoba struggled against him hard, scared, and with no other objective other than to escape. Trip's laugh struck Aoba's eardrum in a way that made him want to vomit. “No? Ah, Aoba, why are you struggling?” Though Aoba's muscles strained as he pushed the older man, he was too weak. “Do you just miss the old days here? Heh, do you miss this?” He laughed again, and Aoba winced. “I miss it too, Aoba. Heheh... almost in, Aoba. Hang in there, ok?” 

He was not like them. He had to leave. He needed to be with his family. He was not like Virus. He had to see Koujaku. Ren, Granny. Aoba wanted Granny to yell at him about the door again. He'd take that hundreds, thousands of times over if it meant liberation. He was not like Trip. He was not. He was not. He needed to do something. He needed...

Aoba's lips parted. “Just... _Let me in..._ ”

 


	18. C2H3Cl3O2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> phhhbhthbht.

“ _Just take him to that organization. He's too much trouble for us. I can't deal with it, anymore!” A woman without a face cried._

“ _Honey we can't! He's our son!” A man, also faceless._

“ _I'm tired of him being violent! Nothing works! He killed the dog, Arayo!”_

“ _...you're right. We'll pack his belongings tomorrow.”_

“ _Sometimes. I wish we never had him.” The woman sobbed._

“ _It would have been better that way.”_

_Tears dripped onto the hardwood floor, and the small boy cradled his knees and awaited his fate._

╠┼╣

“Hey, ▓▓▓▓▓.” A voice hit Aoba's eardrum but he had no idea who the boy was who spoke. His hair was a dark red, almost brown, and appeared to be around eleven years old.

“Go.” A separate voice replied. Aoba turned in the direction of this other voice. It was the same boy from before, the small red-headed child from Trip's subconscious, sitting at what appeared to be a standard cafeteria bench table. As Aoba stepped closer to the young Trip, the more his vision blurred...but only when he looked at the older boy. This must be what Trip saw, what he thought other people were. It was strange, Aoba thought, that even though his face was blurred, the features were still there. It was as if he was seeing the face of some creature that only appeared human, but still held a sense of obscurity.

Aoba hated looking at him, and he got uncomfortable just looking at this normal abnormality that couldn't even be considered human. Their eyes were the worst. They lingered far longer than Aoba wanted them to, they were large, they felt large, as they peered almost into his soul. This must have been what Trip felt. The eyes, the eyes constantly staring, judging. The mouths... the sounds from them were too loud, too loud and intimidating. The kindest words spoken from these lips would feel frightening.

“Why? You don't want to hang out with us?”

Trip scowled at the boy...if that's what it was.

“▓▓i▓o, you're all alone.”

“Why are ya talkin' to ▓▓ik▓?” Another boy jeered. His face just as alien as the first boy. “He's just a freak anyway. Aren't ya? Freak! _Freak!_ ”

“Stop, leave him alone, Kota.”

The boy Kota laughed. “Nah, he's just a pussy. He won't actually do anything. Will ya, freak?”

Aoba could feel Trip's own anger rise up. It was anger and also... fear? And then, the longer the boy jeered the fuller his anger became. Aoba felt it too, and he wanted nothing more than to tamper, to fuck this kid up. However, Trip beat him to it, when his meter overfilled and he sprung from the table and tackled Kota to the ground. His tiny fists began pounding his face, so much so that a nearby nurse had to pry him from the boy and take him back to his dorm.

Aoba stared at the boy, who felt no shame in his actions. “That kid was right. You're a freak of nature.”

“I am what I am.” Trip replied. “I can't change that.”

“Then why let it bother you?”

Trip growled. “Do you know what it's like to be at the mercy of people you don't see as human?”

Aoba's expression softened as he pondered the words Trip, tiny little boy Trip,spoke to him, and replied just as softly. “Yes, I do.” Trip's eyes gleamed, whether it was out of understanding, surprise, or happiness was a mystery to Aoba.

“You know, Aoba. There are things that I chose not to remember.” As Trip's eyes got manic, he ran his finger across his throat and blood poured from the line his finger drew.

“You're so fucked up.” The setting around them shattered like glass, and a black void surrounded them.

“Aoba, I love you!” Trip's smile grew wider, as did his eyes.

“Psh, join the club. Jackets are complimentary.”

Trip took a step toward Aoba, and then another, his neck dripping from the invisible wound. “You're not like them. I love how you're not like them.” Another step. “You're not a monster like them.” Another. “You're... you're like me, Aoba.” Another. “Just like me.” Another, and then a rough, sloppy kiss, their tongues melding in a way that Aoba could only describe as perverse—and borderline pedophiliac considering the age form Trip was representing right now . “Just like me.”

Aoba brought his fist into the boy's jaw, causing him to recoil away from Aoba. “ _I am not like you!_ ”

Trip's recovery was fast, but Aoba had already bolted in the opposite direction. Where was he running? It was only void right now, pitch black and silent without even a ground to step on. _Anything, Aoba! Anything, find ANYTHING you can use to break him! Anything!_ _ **Anything!**_

It wasn't long afterward where Aoba came back to the facility, exhausted and fairly ready to give up. Then from the corner of his eye, he saw Virus. Trip was with him, leaning over his shoulder to read the book Virus was reading. “Minoru, what's that word?”

“That's the kanji for 'coagulation.' The one after it is for 'binding' and together they make 'condensation.'”

“Neat.”

Virus—Minoru—hummed. “You're still young, Se▓▓o. One day you'll be able to read things like this without help.”

Then, Aoba's eyes widened. Up til now he'd only heard pieces of Trip's given name. What had the one boy said a while ago? The only sound he had heard was ▓▓i▓o. The second boy said the sounds ▓▓ik▓. ▓▓iko. What had Minoru said? Se▓▓o?

S-e-i-k-o?

Seiko.

“Seiko!” Aoba shouted, and time stopped; or, at least most of it did. The setting, the people, the objects, everything froze in place and turned gray, aside from Trip and Aoba. The silence was peaceful, but at the same time, eerie. The red-head turned to Aoba, his smile growing back onto his face.

Trip's eye twitched. “Don't call me that.”

“It's your name. Just take it.”

The boy gritted his teeth but accepted Aoba's words regardless. “Aoba. I missed you.”

“Seiko. I want you to tell me something.”

Trip—Seiko—nodded and started making his way over to Aoba. “Anything, Aoba. Anything.”

“What...” Aoba swallowed hard, his fingers began to tremble, as he stared into those newly transformed fake eyes. “what did you do to me? My memory?”

Trip's face fell as he stared. “We cleared your memory, Aoba.”

“But how did you do it?” Aoba asked again. “Tell me!” Trip's lips were sealed. It was as if he refused outright to tell him, another secret in this mysterious fucked up situation. “Fine, don't tell me. Let's just talk.”

“You're being unusually calm, Aoba. Has your Reason been brought back to the front?”

Aoba squinted. “No. I'm just trying to figure things out. We used to be friends, right? What happened to you?”

“I said, I don't want memories dug up.”

Aoba ignored him and continued to pry. “What happened to you as a kid? Why are you so... batshit insane, Seiko?”

The boy's expression changed, angered, or perhaps just hurt, that Aoba would throw that word, those characters, that _name_ in his face; but then, he laughed. He laughed and laughed and it grew into hysterics. Tears poured from Trip's eyes as his laughing fit took total control.

 _Alright. Trip and Virus are strong, they know what I can do._ What's your plan? _When we wake up, I need to be fast._

Trip fell to his knees and laughed, laughed, laughed, laughed. His fingers gripped the roots of his own hair, and the laughter turned into wailing. Aoba raised an eyebrow and observed the little boy warily. The scene would have almost made Aoba pity him, had this person not been his torturer, abuser and rapist. His cried were pained, but not prom physical trauma. These were emotional, upset, confused, and sad cries. They were lonely, like a puppy that had been left on the streets to die. Had Trip just been an ordinary human, Aoba might have felt something for the hurting child kneeling in front of him. And with his choked sobs, Trip cried out softly, “Ma...”

Aoba backed up and braced himself. He was sure Trip would awaken soon and so would he. “Seiko...?”

“Why didn't you want me?”

╓┼╖

His eyes shot open and focused on the gray textured ceiling and they traveled to the window, where the dawn was just starting to seep into the room. He wiggled out from underneath Trip, who'd only begun to stir. Virus should have been in his room getting ready for the work day; and Aoba bee lined towards the front door, his only escape. He was there, almost there. Just gotta avoid the couch, he reached for the door knob within a few feet of his grip, hardly caring in the least he'd wind up on the street buck-ass naked. As long as he got away, he didn't give two shits about social acceptance. He was so close to freedom, he could taste it.

But then, as his fingertips grazed the cool metal, a hand reached out and gripped his shoulder. _Shit._

“Aoba-san?” He jerked his head behind him to see Virus—no, Minoru—staring into his eyes. Could looks kill, Aoba would have been melted like plastic onto the hardwood flooring. Aoba froze in place, conditioned to obey. “Get. Back to the room. Now.”

No. No, he couldn't obey anymore. No more. _No more. No more._ _No more. No more._ _No more. No more. No. More!_

He felt it, the burning, boiling sensation of hatred, rage, anger, and desperation he'd contained for these almost two years reach its limit. If he couldn't escape, he'd die fighting for his freedom. Without a moment's hesitation, and with a ferocity Aoba hadn't known for years, he let out the most bloodcurdling screech he could and lashed out at his captor, shattering the left glass lens under his knuckles.

  
  



	19. C15H10ClN3O3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> second to last chapter, woohoo!!!!

“Just out of curiosity, do you think you'll ever grow your natural hair out again?”

Seiko raised an eyebrow. “You don't like the blond?”

“It's not that at all. Like I said, it was just out of curiosity I asked.”

“I don't like my natural color that much. Hey, Virus.” Seiko murmured. His knees were hugged to his chest as he sat on his own bed and gazed over at his elder at the desk on the adjacent end of the dorm. “Do you think there's such thing as a heaven?”

Minoru looked up from the book he was reading. “I think the idea of a heaven is for the weak willed, for those who cannot accept death as the final stage of human life. The idea of a heaven is man-made to make us feel better for our immanent death. So, no.”

Seiko scrunched his face. That wasn't the answer he wanted. Still, he had no idea what this boy had gone through before arriving here at the facility. Ideals and beliefs varied from region to region, country to country, and he figured that there was nothing wrong with that; though he had hoped that Minoru would humor him, at least on this subject. “Why not? Don't you believe in God?”

The blond scoffed. “To think that there's even a God or gods who might even give an inkling of care for us is ridiculous. What kind of god would allow the world to host such turmoil? What kind of gods would allow their creations to live in this petty hell without so much as a word? If such a being exists, they no longer care about us.” It was rather apparent that Minoru was atheistic; or, perhaps, regarding the last statement he made, he was more anti-theistic.

It wasn't as if Seiko believed or didn't believe. He understood what he was taught and what he learned, and that was enough. He neither rejected or accepted the idea of a deity since there was no evidence to prove or disprove. Some people had religion, some had science, and some had only themselves. There was nothing wrong with any of them.

“Virus. What happened to you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Your past. Why don't you like the idea of higher power?”

Minoru blinked and turned away from Seiko. “What god would allow us to go through this kind of thing? We've seen so much death. We've endured these ruthless experiments, abandonment, and for what? God doesn't care about us anymore. We're on our own, now; and I'm alright with that.” His gaze turned back to the younger boy. “Are you?”

“Yes.”

Minoru smiled. “Then that's it. We write our own laws now. Because god won't even look at us, we'll run the show. You and me, Trip.”

“Yeah.”

╫╬╫

Everything was a blur from then on. Aoba made a final dash toward the door as Virus lay there, screaming in agony as he clutched his glass-riddled eye. Blood seeped from between his fingers and dripped onto the floor as he struggled to get back on his feet. Hersha rushed to his master's aid, though there wasn't much he could do beside guide him to Trip, who had just begun rising from his Scrap-educed sleep.

“T-Trip!” He called, stumbling toward the rooms. It was pointless for him to go after Aoba. Aoba was gone, long gone, and Virus had this feeling in his chest; emptiness. His love had ran, and he could do nothing about it. Not now with his eye the way it was. “F-for God's sake, Trip... help me.”

Without hesitation, Trip was by Virus's side examining the injury. “What happened?”

“Aoba. He escaped.”

“He... left us?” Trip growled.

“We'll find him shortly. Just help me with this first.” Virus groaned in pain as Trip hesitated pulling the glass from his eye or not. He opted to leave the glass in and just let the paramedics deal with it.

Aoba's feet hit the ground as he raced toward civilization. Anywhere was good, as long as it was away from those psychotic people. He didn't know where he was. He didn't know where anything else was, except for this coffee shop. Yes, this coffee shop was the one that Trip brought him to a little over a month ago. Closed. Shit. That's fine, because the restaurant over was the same one he'd been taken to later that night; and to Aoba's relief, he saw someone unlocking the front door. “H-hey... Hey!”

Hide looked over to the voice who sounded to be desperate. “O-oh...Ah!” Aoba collapsed at her feet, exhausted and naked.

“P-please! Help me!”

“O-o-ok, c-come in?” She held open the restaurant door and he dashed inside. “What do you need me to do?” She asked, locking the door behind her and heading to go grab something to cover this man with.

Aoba sought refuge in the deeper areas of the restaurant. “I need the police. Please!” Hide nodded and handed Aoba a large lost-and-found jacket, one he'd be able to stretch over his legs or underneath his backside. He and Hide sat at a small table in the back.

“What's your name?” She asked, pulling out her Coil screen.

“Seragaki Aoba.”

Hide smiled. “Alright, Aoba-san.” She took his hand in hers, though he recoiled and turned his body away from her. “It'll be alright now. You're safe.”

Once off the Coil with the police, Hide fixed Aoba a cup of tea and sat with him. She had no idea his struggles, but could tell he was troubled and needed comfort. “Aoba-san...”

Aoba winced. “Don't use the -san...”

She blinked, but smiled at him. “Alright, Aoba. I won't ask why you're naked—even though it's fucking odd. Would you be able to tell me what happened?” Aoba shook his head violently. “A-alright. Where are you from?”

“M-Midorijima.”

“Oh really? My family does business down there My uncle's actually flying over today to see me.” Hide was uncomfortable, Aoba could tell, but she still did her best to make sure Aoba was comforted; and he appreciated that, despite not wanting to get too close to anybody at the moment. “Why are you here right now? Family, business?”

Aoba grimaced. He didn't want to recall. He didn't want to remember what had happened. “I was kidnapped. I-I just want to go home. I haven't seen my grandmother in...two years.”

Her blood turned cold, obviously disturbed by Aoba's confession. “O-oh...” Hide stuttered, police sirens ringing in the background loud enough for Hide to remember to unlock the doors for them. Finally, after years, Aoba could out those sick, twisted abominations for all they've done. He could reunite with his grandmother and friends, he could go back to work and just...be free. The officer approached Aoba, and without hesitation, he poured out every single gut-wrenching detail to them.

The police arrived at the mens' house just as the paramedics had finished examining Virus's eye and were readying the ride back to the hospital. It was a no brainer, Virus needed stitches. Trip muttered under his breath as he saw the police pull up to the house. “He didn't hesitate, Virus.”

“I know. We'll make a break in a second.” Trip scowled at Virus's words. Injured like this, Virus had messed up depth perception. Running with him would be a hindrance and certainly non-beneficial if his eye got infected somehow. There wasn't much that Trip could do—or wanted to do—other than leave Virus there to take the brunt of the trouble. As Virus glanced over to lock eyes with Trip once again, Trip was gone. “Trip?” He left, Virus screamed internally. The fucker left!

It was strange, though, this entire situation. Trip hadn't felt like this was the end. He didn't feel guilt or remorse. He felt like this was just a part of life. He could tell as he and Virus exchanged a glance of mutual understanding. Yes, it sucked but what else would he do? He'd get Virus out in due time.

“This isn't good, Welter.” Trip grumbled as he pried through Virus's desk. There was just one thing he wanted; his medical records from Toue Inc. He'd grabbed Virus's as well. Along with Hersha and Welter, Trip snuck out the back door and headed in the opposite direction.

Virus gritted his teeth and puled himself away from the paramedics, darting in the opposite direction of the commotion, though it was ridiculously hard to see exactly what was happening without glasses. “Damnit...” Instead of making a left, he made a right and ended up on the busy streets of the town, the road he usually took to work. Whatever, he could hide in the crowd for a while. Perhaps he'd dip into a shop. Another right turn and he wound up at the restaurant Hide worked at which happened to be, with the shitty luck of the draw, inhabiting police officers.

“God damnit.” He growled. He was at a complete loss of what to do now. The pain in his eye was growing steadily worse and knew that the temporary numbing agent they'd dropped into the eye would war off shortly. Still,he needed to hide right now. He backed up the alley until he saw a side door entrance. Virus pulled at the handle, surprised it was actually unlocked, and dipped inside.

╬╪╬

Hide gasped. “It's hard to imagine...” Aoba turned toward her.

“What is?”

“I... I met them. I invited one of them into my home. They were kind to me. I can't believe they would just do that to you. What if they would have done that to me?”

“They were... kind to me too, a long time ago.” Aoba murmured and hugged his knees. “They used to worship me.”

“Alright, Hide-san.” A police officer came up to them and smiled. “You're free to go get ready for work, now. We'll just finish up here with Aoba and then get out of your hair.”

Hide nodded. “Thank you. Will you be alright, Aoba?”

“Yeah. Thanks. What about you?”

She gathered her things and headed towards the back room. “I'll be ok. My uncle is flying in tonight so I won't be alone.”

Aoba smiled. “Good.”

Hide grinned and turned into the back-room door; or, at least she attempted to before running into someone. “Sorry, I—o-oh...”

“My deepest apologies, Hide-san. I didn't want to actually get anyone involved, but...” Before Hide could speak, Virus clamped his hand down over her mouth and pulled her up to him. “I need your help getting to Aoba-san so if you just cooperate, I'll let you go unscathed. Understood?” She nodded and he dragged her along. He peered out from the door frame and caught a glimpse of Aoba, who had seemed to be finishing up with this particular officer. “There he is.” Hide whimpered and trembled. “Please, Hide-san. Stop whimpering, it's pathetic.”

Hide, however, had other plans. She wouldn't help him, and he was unarmed. The worst he could do was slightly injure her should something go awry, and she kicked her foot up to knock a chair on it's side and the sound reverberated through the restaurant and drew attention from several officers. “Shit!” Virus pushed Hide away and turned to Aoba and grinned. “Aoba-san! I will find you again! You can't hide from me, Aoba-san! I love you, Aob-san!” Virus dipped back into the back room, hoping to exit where he entered but several officers stormed after him.

Aoba shook with fear, but it subsided quickly once the officers came up to him and offered to give him a ride to the station.

 _Aoba, we're safe now. Aoba, wake up. Aoba. Aoba. AOBA. AOBA, WAKE UP!_ Let me sleep. _Aoba._ Please let me sleep. _We're safe._ Let me sleep. _Aoba..._

Aoba sighed. He sat there, in the station. He'd not gone to Midorijima yet. It had been two days and yet they wouldn't let him leave. The officer had made a few calls, however; but Aoba was bored. At least Aoba was safe, and taken care of. He had some medical procedures done. Aside from the scarring across his skin and the malnutrition, Aoba was fairly healthy; but he didn't care about his health. All he wanted to do was go home. He wanted to see his friends. His Allmate. His Grandmother...

“A-Aoba...?”

Aoba turned his head and his heart pumped in his chest as he saw who it was. His eyes filled with tears. “G-Granny.”


	20. Chapter 20

It was surreal, in all actuality. The woman he hadn't seen in two years was now standing in front of him with tears in her own eyes. “You're alright...” She spoke softly, almost a whisper.

“Granny...” Aoba lunged from his seat and into his grandmother's arms, and his eyes, whether or not Aoba wanted them to, poured tears of many emotions; sadness, regret, relief, fear, happiness... He was just so overwhelmed that he couldn't control his wailing; but Tae didn't mind. She'd let him cry if he needed to. She'd carry his tears for as long as he needed, even if it was for the rest of their lives.

“I'm so happy, Aoba.” She smiled, and while Aoba couldn't see her through his sobs, he could almost hear her beginning to cry as well. “Your hair is short...what did they do to you?” Aoba's lips were sealed and Tae didn't press it further. Sometimes it was just better to let him open up when he felt like it. “Let's go home, Aoba.”

╟╪╢

“Akamine Minoru, former employee of Toue Incorporated and former member of the Midorijima yakuza.” The on duty prison guard hummed to himself as he read off official documentation of their newest inmate. “Hmm, this guy hasn't been accused of any other crime on record, but right how he doesn't seem to have any kind of moral standing. And you say you want to speak to him”

The man across his desk smiled. “I really do. I know him on a personal level and would like nothing more than to give closure.”

“Of course.” The officer obliged and stood from his chair. “Right this way, Mr Toue.”

├┼┤

Virus sat begrudgingly in front of that ridiculous plexiglass panel while his former employer sat on the other side with that same coy smile he always wore, much like Trips; it was disgusting. “Ah. Is Trip in there with you?”

Virus's furrowed his brow. “I haven't seen Trip since he fed me to the wolves.”

Toue scanned the man's unusually sullen face; the only thing aside from the expression was his eye, that had scarred over, leaving him blind in the left eye. Toue's grin widened. “I put all that work into your eyes and that's how you treat them.”

“You could have fixed my vision while you were in them but you didn't.”

Toue let out a chuckle. “Well I suppose neither of us really cared that much, then.”

Virus grimaced. “What the fuck do you want?”

The man leaned back in his chair and spoke softly. “I wondered, a while ago, what had become of you and Trip. You left without a word. It wasn't until a few days later I received many angry phone calls from a former employee, a researcher of mine I'm sure you know, about her grandson's disappeared. This boy had been a product of my research, Sei's brother; or Seragaki Aoba as you may know him.”

Virus blinked slowly as he listened to Toue. “Apparently, some of his friends broke into Platinum Jail and the Oval Tower and escaped. They informed Ms Tae about her grandson's disappearance and the danger he was in. I, however, hadn't known he'd even entered the building at all. So once her phone calls didn't work, the local media intervened.” He leaned forward. “Do you know how difficult it is to convince an entire country that I didn't abduct a boy that disappeared on my own premises?”

He leaned back again, straitening his suit jacket. “Then I pieced everything together. You and Trip abducted him. The only thing I didn't know, thanks to you not leaving any loose ends—kudos to you slipping my pilot cyanide—is where you were hiding. Until, of course, I received a telephone call alerting me of you terrorizing my niece.”

Virus's eyes widened, only briefly and almost unnoticeable.

Toue continued speaking. “I no longer have the rights to Usui or the Rhyme interface. Sei destroyed the Oval Tower and is now in ICU no longer in my custody. Platinum Jail is now a desolate wasteland due to mass boycotts. My company is going down the drain because Japan thinks I'm harboring a child I hadn't known existed for twenty-three years. Quite frankly, I don't think I'll bail you out. You deserve to rot in there.”

“What do you have to gain by coming here and speaking to me?”

“I have only one motive and it's information.” Toue squinted. “How did you wipe Aoba's memory?”

╟╫╢

Aoba returned home, no difficulties other than light—and understandably so—mistrust with some other human beings. Over the course of seven months, he was able to get his job back at the junk shop, though it took him a while to remember how the shop operated. Though it was hard as hell for him, he eventually became a member of society once again.

“Oi, Aoba!” As he finished his work on the computer, he was startled out of concentration as the shop's door swung open and Koujaku walked in. “Are you busy tonight?”

He sighed as he shut down the computer and stood from the desk, running his fingers through his own hair that had grown six inches since his return home. “No, why?”

“Noiz and I wanted to go to this weird club he found downtown and wondered if you were wanting to get out of the house.”

_Should we? Aoba?_ I don't know. _We'll be completely safe with them._ True. _Do you want to?_ ...Sure. _Aoba?_ Hm? _It's good to hear you again._

Aoba smiled, genuinely smiled, and nodded. “Hell yeah.” In fact, for the first time in seven months, Aoba felt comfortable being out in a crowd. He was happy, honestly, that Koujaku and Noiz had begun to get along, even if they still quarreled every so often. Apparently the two gained a mutual fondness for each other after Aoba's disappearance. They collaborated different methods of trying to find Aoba. Clear had taken it upon himself to assist Tae while Aoba was gone, a mutual companionship since Tae could repair any damaged Clear sustained and Clear offered her solace. Really, Aoba couldn't have wished for the situation to be any better.

Well... it could be better... Aoba couldn't sleep by himself anymore. It was obvious when he'd wake Tae up every night for a month asking to sleep next to her. Tae would sigh, but then smile and give Aoba just enough room to weasel himself in her small bed, and soon it was second nature for her to leave room for Aoba. She griped about it, but Aoba knew that she was giving him shit. Tae knew he knew she was giving him shit. All Tae wanted was for her grandson to feel safe, and if sleeping next to her kept him safe, she'd do it until the day she died.

Eventually, Aoba got back into Rhyme, his health well enough for him to do so. He still had all his talent from before, Scrap and all, and remained undefeated even after his long hiatus.

“Hey, are you Sly Blue?” A voice asked. Aoba and Noiz turned toward the voice, which came from one of two men standing behind them. Aoba couldn't see their faces, masks prevented him from their identities. All he knew was that they were roughly six feet tall,both with red hair, and appeared to be twins. _Fuckin' weirdos._

“Yeah?” He gazed at the men with a raised eyebrow.

“We were hoping to face you two in a team Rhyme battle. Is that alright?”

Aoba looked toward Noiz, who nodded his head. “'S fine with me.”

“Alright, we'll fight.”

And just like that, the Rhyme field opened up and the four began their fight. Aoba was thrown off by their Rhyme names though... or, by the lack thereof. These two fighters didn't seem to have any player information at all. Whether this didn't raise any flags at all, or if it raised a red flag Aoba opted to ignore, Aoba and Noiz continued to fight them anyway...

Sparing details of the fight, Aoba and Noiz eventually won, though it appeared that the twins weren't trying to win at all, and that put Noiz on edge. “Thank you for the fight, Sly Blue.” The first twin hummed.

“It was fun, thank you.” The other agreed, and the two headed on their way, leaving Aoba and Noiz in a haze of confusion.

Noiz nudged Aoba. “I don't like them.”

“Why?”

“I couldn't figure them out.”

Aoba shrugged. “Let's just go home, ok?”

“Yeah.”

Aoba's coil soon pinged and a message popped up. He assumed that this message, though he had no real reason—intuition maybe—was from the twins.

_Hey Sly Blue. It was fun Rhyming with you again._

_Again?_ He was sure he'd never Rhymed with those twins in his life, but he shrugged it off as a simple mistake.

_We have a riddle for you. Would you like to hear it?_

_Sure, why not._

_What has three eyes, stands on four legs, and keeps you cool in the summer months?_

╤╥╤

“The color suits you.” Seiko murmured, peering out of the corner of his eyes at Minoru.

“Mm.”

“Hey Minoru?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you still think that there's no such thing as a God?”

Minoru leaned back on his hands and stared into the sky, the grass they were sitting in swaying in the light breeze, his own dyed locks swaying at the same tempo. “It's like I said before. What I feel is irrelevant, but how could a god, should one exist, allow terrible things to happen to good people and good things happen to terrible people?”

Seiko hummed. “I think overall good things happen to _us_.”

“Then doesn't that mean we're terrible people?” Seiko watched Minoru's face carefully, though had no idea what he was searching for. It didn't matter anymore. It wasn't like their lives were going to be the same. He repositioned and laid on his side, resting his head on Minoru's lap. The older man looked down at him. Seiko's eyes were fixated on something distant, or perhaps they weren't fixated in anything at all. His fingers threaded absentmindedly into Seiko's beautiful, very missed red hair. If they were alone in the universe then they'd be alone together. Minoru leaned down and pressed his lips to Seiko's temple.

Maybe being alone wasn't as bad as he initially thought.

╤╥╤

Aoba thought long and hard about this riddle the entire day. He even went so far as to ask his friends, grandmother, and Allmate. _It's impossible. There's nothing in the world that fits that riddle._ So, he replied back:

_Nothing._

Aoba sat and waited for the reply. He and Noiz were sprawled across his couch and took in the mind-numbing effect of the television when the response came in. “Is that the answer to the riddle?” Noiz asked without peeling his eyes off the screen. Aoba shrugged and opened his Coil... and his blood ran cold. “Hey, what is it? What's the answer?” Aoba didn't answer Noiz... He was too fixated on the words. He knew exactly what they meant and a wave of emotions he hardly understood washed over him and tears leaked from his eyes.

“Aoba, I made tea, would you want some?” Tae asked as she walked into the living room; she paused when she saw Aoba beginning to weep and rushed to his side. “Aoba... are you alright?”

Noiz peeked over Aoba's screen to read the answer.

_Your fans._

_-C17H19NO3_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I just wanted to tell you all, especially my loyal regular readers (Yes I recognize you all <3 ) how much I appreciate you reading through this entire shitstorm. You guys kept me going even when I felt like abandoning the story. You guys made me feel like I have a talent and for that I'm really truly grateful! Thank you all soooo sos sosososo much!! I hope that the ending wraps it up right, and I hope youll all continue to read things I may put out in the future. 
> 
> You all are so wonderful and kind and I couldn't ask for any more. You guys are great! Thank you once again for your dedication and I hope I've not failed you! <3
> 
> **~~Edit: I do plan to make a oneshot RenAo to emphasize the 7 months I barely skimmed over in this final chapter, so look out for it fairly soon! I'll release the title on my profile, so, keep an eye on it there if you want to!!!~~** <3<3 <3 <3 <3 <3<3 <3 <3 <3 <3<3 <3 <3 <3 <3<3 <3 <3 <3 <3<3 <3 <3 <3 <3<3 <3 <3 <3 <3<3 <3 <3 <3 <3<3 <3 <3 <3 <3<3 <3 <3 <3 <3<3 <3 <3 <3 <3<3 <3 <3 <3   
> Edit 2: I will not be writing a RenAo. Not that I don't want to, or that I don't like the ship, I just feel it'd be hard to tie it into the end of this story to make it sort of an epilogue. I apologize.
> 
> ~catnipArsen


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